Age of Apocalypse: Redux: The Chains of Fate
by Doosri Pistole
Summary: Apocalypse has initiated the final game. Millions have fallen before his might. And only the Xmen can stop him. Features Scott, Remy, Jean, Logan, Rogue, Magneto and Xman, with appearances from all corners of the AoA and 616 universes. Complete.
1. Prologue: The Horsemen Ride

X MEN: The Age of Apocalypse: THE CHAINS OF FATE  
  
Rating: R  
  
Author: Javed Chaudhry  
  
Email Address: six_nites @ hotmail.com  
  
Authors Note: This is the third installment of my own version of the Age of Apocalypse. The first two stories were mostly Scott Jean and Remy, but this is much more balanced, and consequently much harder to write. This is the continuation of Weaving in a Tapestry/Downfall. This is also probably the final installment in the series. The story is very changed from the original AoA story; in fact SKH says it should be an A/U to the real marvelverse, not AoA, hence the furthering of my OC's. However some basic elements were there. I am also a die hard S/J fan, and feel bloody pissed off with the way the New X-men story is going these days (though maybe issue 150 clears up some stuff.) Oh and though I prefer Rogue and Remy pairings, that's not the case here, sort of. It would be less confusing to read the others stories first, from the original Redux, then Downfall and then finally this one.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own X-men and I never will. I do own Sammael, Nidlen Halfbane, Shaman, Asmodeus, Astaroth, Archanfel, Galaire, Behamen, Gilgamesh, as well as Rumik, Lumina, Renegade, Quja, and a few other minor characters who I might have put into the story. Everything else is (probably) marvel owned. (Going Under, Whisper, Tourniquet, Taking over me, haunted, my last breath, bring me to life, my immortal, everybody's fool, imaginary, hello.)  
  
Beta'd by: A Denial. (the pen name of A Lid, my previous-yet-same beta-er.)  
  
Feedback: Please! Six_nites@hotmail.com  
  
Again, things have changed. Again I shall make a list of the characters.  
  
The Good guys:  
  
The X-men:  
  
Magneto: Erik Magnus Lensherr  
  
Rogue:  
  
Quicksilver: Pietro Maximoff  
  
Scarlet Witch: Wanda Maximoff  
  
Angel: Warren Worthington III  
  
Iceman: Robert Drake  
  
Colossus: Piotr Nikailovitch Rasputin  
  
Shadowcat: Katherine 'Kitty' Pryde  
  
Banshee: Sean Cassidy  
  
Jean Grey  
  
Weapon X: Logan  
  
Nightcrawler: Kurt Wagner  
  
Roulette: (A sub-group)  
  
Gambit: Remy Lebeau  
  
Psylocke: Elisabeth 'Betsy' Braddock  
  
Storm: Ororo Munroe  
  
Marrow: Sarah  
  
Renegade: Gavin Fury Jr.  
  
On The Hybrid:  
  
Moira Trask (part of Human High Council)  
  
Emma Frost  
  
Helena Kahn  
  
Sunfire: Shiro Yoshida  
  
Blink: Clarice Ferguson  
  
Sabretooth: Victor Creed  
  
Know-it-all  
  
Cyclops: Scott Summers  
  
Human High Council:  
  
Moira Trask  
  
Brian Braddock  
  
Mariko Yoshida  
  
Susan Richards  
  
Jonathan Storm  
  
Dr. Victor von Doom  
  
others  
  
Leaving Avalon:  
  
Destiny: Irene Adler  
  
Mystique: Raven Darkholme  
  
Juggernaut: Cain Marko  
  
Black Tom Cassidy  
  
The Bad Guys:  
  
Apocalypse: En Sabah Nur  
  
The Horsemen of Apocalypse:  
  
Death: Shaman  
  
Plague: Burke  
  
War: Selene  
  
Beast: Gideon - deceased  
  
Holocaust: Nemesis  
  
Mikhail Rasputin  
  
The Externals:  
  
Candra  
  
Exodus: Bennet du Paris  
  
Sammael: Kar' Toman Selavayne  
  
Sebastian Shaw  
  
Shadow King  
  
The Prelates:  
  
High Prelate Havok: Alexander Summers  
  
Arch-Prelate Deathbird: Cal' Sayee Neramani  
  
Prelate Lumina: Sylvia Ferguson  
  
Prelate Quja: Kan Berrona  
  
Prelate Polaris: Lorna Dane  
  
Prelate Erik the Red  
  
Prelate Bedlams: Terrence and Jesse  
  
Dark Beast  
  
Pierre  
  
Rictor  
  
Rooks:  
  
Meltdown  
  
Harry Leland  
  
Sam Guthrie  
  
Elizabeth Guthrie  
  
Domino  
  
The Madri  
  
Infinites  
  
Reavers  
  
Wild Cards: Against either Apocalypse or good guys  
  
Sinister: Nathaniel Essex  
  
Renegade Externals:  
  
Nidlen Halfbane  
  
Gilgamesh: Kairan en'Ulas  
  
Asmodeus: Argorion Devinrok  
  
Behamen: Sonnara Delnoman  
  
Astaroth: Yakker Kurenti  
  
Forge  
  
Nate Grey  
  
Soaran  
  
Brute:  
  
Sonique: Theresa Cassidy  
  
Toad: Mortimer Toynbee  
  
Blob: Fred Dukes  
  
Mastermind: Jason Wyngarde  
  
*~*~*~  
  
Previously: Xavier is killed by the then High Prelate Cyclops. Later during a rescue mission, Jean Grey is captured by the Tower. Cyclops falls in love with her, and they attempt to escape. However they are caught and tortured. Finally Cyclops defeats Dark Beast and helps her recover. The renegade Externals surface again and send Juggernaut and his allies to kill Sammael, an External. At the same time the X-men assault the Tower, and it is only Apocalypse's timely arrival that prevents the X-men from winning. Apocalypse also defeats Juggernaut. An External Archanfel is killed as he tries to kill Magneto, leader of the X-men. The X-men escape and they leave, with Cyclops and another Prelate, Rumik having turned traitor.  
  
Cyclops doesn't believe in the X-men either, most of whom blame him for their mentor Xavier's death and want him dead. He leaves. Apocalypse sets loose his horsemen on the world. The renegade Externals find readings of a new mutant, perhaps an old External, and find Nidlen Halfbane, who forces them to bow to him.  
  
Cyclops is blown to a desert isle by a massive storm. Meanwhile Gambit leaves to Belladonna's grotto, and is captured by Sinister and Candra. Scott finds out that he was captured by the renegade Externals. They plan to use him to find Destiny and Avalon. He agrees having no choice.  
  
The X-men fight against the Prelates when they try to seek out a new mutant. The Prelates very narrowly escape with Sammael's help. Apocalypse meanwhile prepares to launch his final assaults, using the help of his allies and Horsemen. Sabretooth joins the X-men.  
  
Scott manages to warn Jean about the renegade Externals plan. She tries to convince the X-men, but only a few believe her. She escapes with them, leaving an angry Magneto behind. They reach the Savage Land with the help of Mystique and attempt to go into Avalon. Scott and Galaire lead a team of mercenaries into Avalon as well, unfortunately the Savage lands denizens kill most of the mercenary team. Even Jean and her friends barely escape them. Jean and her friends reach Avalon to find Juggernaut and Black Tom Cassidy there. They meet Destiny as well as Blink and Sunfire. Scott also reaches Avalon and he and Galaire confront Juggernaut and Black Tom. Black Tom is injured, and Juggernaut is frozen by Galaire. Scott helps to free him and is reunited with Jean. He runs off to stop Galaire asking her to send reinforcements.  
  
At the temple on a hill in Avalon, Galaire and Scott fight, Scott is aided by Sunfire. In the duration of the battle an old emblem is shattered by Scott's beam blast. It summons one of the four horsemen of Apocalypse, the Beast. The Beast is recognized as Gideon, an External long thought dead and Galaire's lover, as well as by Destiny, as Benedict, a new citizen of Avalon. They fight against it but it proves too strong, killing Vazhin. Galaire manages to hurt it badly, but it only prompts it to transform, turning into a true Beast. Galaire dies.  
  
Gambit attempts to escape, and frees an experiment of Sinister's the son of Jean and Scott, created with their DNA, Nate Grey. The two fight Candra and Sinister and a few Infinites and Gambit sacrifices himself to save Nate. Apparently in the blast Sinister dies, though Nate escapes.  
  
Scott and Shiro try to fight, but it's too strong. At that point Jean, Logan, Victor, Blink and Juggernaut appear. The Beast proves too much for them as well. Finally it is defeated, but not before it kills another, Destiny's son Douglas. Avalon burns.  
  
Candra informs Remy of all that has happened, including telling him that she loves him. Remy is shocked. Sinsiter though meanwhile has managed to convince Forge to 'rescue' Nate. Forge meets and befriends Nate. Bishop has joined Forge's group. Apocalypse sets off to attack Muir Isle, even though one horseman is dead, he has three more.  
  
==============================================  
  
Prologue: The Storm comes  
  
It had begun. The call to arms had brought his armies to him, and he would now show all who stood against him what it exactly it meant to fight Apocalypse.  
  
"Destroy the base. I want to finish off the X-men, once and for all. Bring me Magneto if you find him. I would kill their leader myself."  
  
Apocalypse stood in the head of his statue in what had been New York. His remaining three horsemen were lined up in front of him. Death was only in a hologram though. He would not take part in the battle. Instead, he made ready the human High Council for the armies of Apocalypse. Apocalypse was very pleased with them. Apart from the Beast, they had performed exceptionally, and even Beast had done well, till he had been killed. Apocalypse wanted to know who had killed him. He would kill whoever it was himself.  
  
His remaining lieutenants stood behind the horsemen, slightly irritated at that fact. Only Holocaust stood beside him. Apocalypse watched them all carefully. Of them all he knew that not all would remain alive at the end of even this battle. He swept them all with his gaze. He also could guess at who would fall. Not Candra, and most likely not Sammael. Exodus was also unlikely. That left Rasputin. The man was a fool. It was unlikely he would die either, but of all of them, he was most likely to fall. It was only his powerful mutation that kept him alive.  
  
He would take a hundred Infinites led by Rictor. Even he was weak, but not too weak. Weak enough that Apocalypse didn't need him once this battle was over.  
  
The Prelates stood ready as well, in full battle dress. At their head Havok and Deathbird were resplendent in their armor and uniform. Havok had a cape much like Cyclops' slung over one shoulder, and Deathbirds wings gleamed under the lights. All wore standard Prelate yellow armor, with different color uniform below, except Havok who was in Red armor, and Deathbird, wearing her yellow. She was still an enigma, not of human or mutant descent. He found her vaguely like a Shi'ar, but that was improbable. He would figure it out sooner or later.  
  
"Let us destroy the X-men, for now and forever." He spread his hands wide and the teleporter they all stood on sent them to Muir Isle, site of the X- men's base. The Infinites would follow after.  
  
x---------------x  
  
Magneto was standing mulling over recent events when he heard the alarm. He leapt to his feet, and ran to a monitor flipping it on. It took a few minutes to turn on, and then the screen cleared and showed a nightmare. Magneto staggered as if punched. Multiple areas of the base were being attacked, by persons unknown.  
  
"Apocalypse." It had to be him, but how had he found the base, it was so well hidden. His mind leapt to the obvious conclusion.  
  
"Cyclops. So it was all a trap. Damn it, I should have killed him the moment I knew."  
  
He whirled about. No time to waste in recriminations. He had to go out and fight them. If Jean ever came back he would show her what he had learnt, and he would hope she got it into her head that Cyclops was the enemy. If they ever got out of this alive.  
  
He rushed outside into the corridor and ran into two Infinites. They turned to him, but he simply waved his hands and tore out their circuitry. The foul creations of Apocalypse fell to the ground. He ran onward and walked out onto the open field between the rest of the base and the X-men headquarters.  
  
Into Chaos.  
  
He could see no students or humans, which was good. However most of the X- men stood there fighting a horde of infinites and many other figures in armor. It wasn't going well for the X-men. There were many Prelates, nearly as many as the X-men, and they had Infinites to back them up. However in the air behind the Prelates stood a figure that made his heart clench. It was a human shaped figure, but long hair tied into two braids hung behind him. His eyes were covered with a strip of cloth that went around his head. He wore armor that was like bands, covering his flesh at almost all points, showing reddish skin below. He or rather it looked at him. In his mind he heard a cry.  
  
I am Plague..  
  
That was impossible; no telepath could breach the protection his helmet provided.  
  
He raised his hands and found the bands weren't steel. It was something else, polymer-fibre maybe, perhaps some other material.  
  
It smiled at him and then raised a hand. He was suddenly flung back a few feet. Whatever this creature was, it was also telekinetic. He stood. It had only been a few seconds since he arrived on the battlefield, but already he could sense the buoyed emotions of the X-men. Their leader was here, and they could handle any attack. He felt their relief fill him and he leapt at the figure in the air, a snarl contorting his features.  
  
x--------------------x  
  
Jean sat on the floor of the jet. It would take a while for them to reach Muir Isle. With her were some X-men, apart from raven. She had chosen to stay behind and help the people of Avalon get back on their feet, and leave Avalon. Jean would get to Muir Isle and send back a carrier craft big enough; like the hybrid, to get them.  
  
Scott lay asleep on a chair, looking adorably tough. She shook her head. Only she would think something like that. His hair was still too long; however it increased his tough look. His beard was unshaven and he looked haggard. Considering what they had just been through, it was no surprise. Apocalypse had unleashed his horsemen upon the world, and it was up to them to stop the horsemen from destroying everything. They had just reached the southern tip of Africa and would reach Muir Isle in a few hours. Logan and Victor piloted the jet, Logan because he would never give up control to another, and Victor to get Blink off his back. He had explained to her that the jet was no place to learn how to fight, but she was hell bent on learning. So he had removed Sean from the pilot's seat and sat down himself. Shiro stood at the back. Sitting in a chair would burn it and the plane probably. Shiro still didn't have that much control over his flame covered body. Even so, Jean had to use some telekinesis to hold the flames back. It was wearying, and she had to sit on the ground to continue. Still she could handle it.  
  
She contented herself with watching Scott. His face was turned towards her, and she wanted to see him when none of his usual shields were up. He looked vulnerable and she felt tenderness wash over her. His lower lip was slightly pouted and his jaw was relaxed, not slightly clenched as he usually held it. His visor hid much of his face, but not too much. She could see a fair amount of his face. Some strands of hair fell over his face and his breath stirred them slightly. One went into his nose and he snorted and shook his head slightly. She smiled in amusement. He looked like a little boy. Except for the beard. It was very unkempt and one could barely tell he had a goatee. His huge gauntlets hung to the ground. He had gotten them after their capture by the Externals in the Tower. She had questioned him once about them, but he had replied vaguely, not really telling her anything. However Jean had caught his mental wince at the thought, and she wondered what had happened when he got them.  
  
She reached out and brushed his hair away from his face. Suddenly he was awake and had grabbed her hand. He wasn't tense. Their bond had let her know he was awake, just as it had told him who was brushing his hair away. She shuddered to think what he would have done if someone else had done that to him. She saw Victor looking at them out of the corner of her eye. He had been astonished to find out Cyclops was in love with her and had been even more shocked when he was told that Cyclops had left the Tower because Jean had opened his eyes to others suffering. Jean could still remember the look on his face.  
  
"Forget it Jean, it's alright." She looked back at Scott to see he had a wan smile on his face. She grinned back abashedly. She sent him a telepathic thought.  
  
'Hey, I'm just looking out for you buster.'  
  
He smiled back at her, then he turned his attention back to the cockpit. He stood and left her hand and walked up front.  
  
"How much longer, do you know?'  
  
Logan was about to answer when suddenly a massive telepathic scream and cry for help rang in Jeans head. She screamed and grabbed her head, kneeling to the ground. Shiro slammed into the wall, and Kurt bamfed next to her. Scott was at her side an instant later, his face pale, and worry and fear coming from him. Logan was there a few seconds later as well, having given the controls to Victor.  
  
Finally the shout left her brain, and she could sense again. Scott knelt over her, cradling her in his arms.  
  
"What happened Jean, what's wrong?"  
  
Jean shook her head.  
  
"It's the base, someone just tried to contact me in a desperate telepathic cry. Only Emma has that much power, now that Xavier is dead. It must have been a very desperate maneuver. She would never have been able to reach me otherwise. It's likely she had help, probably from Cerebro-2.'  
  
Logan snarled.  
  
"An attack? How did they find out?" His gaze turned to Scott.  
  
Scott frowned, but Jean could read deep pain from him.  
  
"I didn't tell anyone anything Logan. If that's what you're thinking. I've left the tower, how many times must I say so"  
  
He began to stand, but Jean grabbed his hand.  
  
"I trust you Scott, and so do the others. We know what you are Scott, and all of them have seen it as well. Whoever's attacking must have found out some other way." The last few sentences said with a direct look for the X- men with her. Logan shrugged embarrassed.  
  
"Sorry Cyke. Jumped to a conclusion, what can I say?"  
  
Scott nodded and accepted the X-men's apologies.  
  
"What remains to be known is who's attacking. If it's Apocalypse, then we have to get there in time. He wouldn't have attacked, not without heavy back-up. Logan, how far are we?"  
  
Logan had returned to his pilot's chair and Jean was amazed as the X-men with her bowed to his authority and leadership, just as they had done during the fight with the Beast. He was a leader, and the others recognized the fact. That was why they did what he said, even if they didn't trust him completely in most of their cases.  
  
"ETA, 'bout a couple of hours, minimum. Can't give her more speed than that."  
  
Scott nodded.  
  
"Let's hope they last that long."  
  
Jean looked out the front windshield. She hoped so too. Otherwise all was lost.  
  
x----------------- ---x  
  
Remy sat in his the room. He tried to move the door, to see if he had any leverage, but nothing came out of it. He dropped back onto the small chair in the room. It was the fiftieth time he had tried it. He knew, he had counted. Candra had come to him a few hours ago and had talked to him for a while. She had told him that Sinister hadn't been found still, and that Apocalypse had ordered him killed. Remy shook his head. It was so insane. Sinister hadn't been one he would have pegged as deserting apocalypse. In fact of all of them, Xavier had intimated that he was just behind Holocaust in terms of loyalty, being a creation of Apocalypse. There was just no telling with people.  
  
He looked around his little prison. Nothing. The goddamn dampener on his neck was too tight to open. What a bloody mess. He slumped on the chair. Women, they were all bloody mad. Try to please one and she threw you on your ass, love one and get dumped, get one, and get rejected for old memories, flirt with three and get your face slapped. Have one bloody fall in love with you and get stuck in a bloody puny little room, with nothing to do but bloody sit on a bloody chair and twiddle your bloody thumbs. Bah!  
  
Remy was getting pissed. This dampener subdued everything, including his empathy. It seemed ludicrous, but that was the power he missed most of all sitting here. It seemed he couldn't fall into the depressions that came easily to him without it. He must be in a bad way to miss falling into a depression. And what a power to miss, one that had mostly caused him problems. What a wonder-fucking-ful life.  
  
"Yeah team."  
  
===================================  
  
Well, that's enough to start if off.  
  
The final part is begun... yay!!!  
  
Well, this part is getting to be problematic. I should be uploading every second day or so. I almost finished with the fic, and hopefully my beat-er can finish beta-ing the other chapters.  
  
This fic has Apocalypse a hell of a lot more powerful than he was in the actual AoA. as he should be. I mean, ripped apart??? Apocalypse is supposed to be stronger than that.  
  
things get darker here onwards. Anyway, tell me what you like, what you don't. After this fic is done, I have like five more coming.. I guess I have a lot of free time these days.  
  
Ciao. 


	2. Going Under

Well, I'm back. I know I said once every two days, but it didn't work out that way, thanks to my beta'er running off somewhere. Bad 'A Denial'. Bad. Bad.  
  
Oh, and my chapter names are probably going to seem familiar, if you pay close enough attention, and not just click on it to go to the next chapter. They (usually) fit the content of the chapter, and it's was kinda like a novelty. Anyway, here's the next chappy. Filled with action, adventure and drama.  
  
*~*  
  
Going Under  
  
Rogue was running. She had been running for a long time now. The Tower's forces had beaten back the X-men till they were forced to hide in the danger room, with a few heading out to lure them away. Now it was her turn. Magneto hadn't liked it, but it was necessary. She had already taken out 12 Infinites. They weren't enough to handle the X-men, but the Prelates and Externals and other s Apocalypse had brought were. The master of the Tower himself was here. She remembered when he had first come. He had stayed back, and sent forward an extremely powerful mutant, or perhaps mutate. A voice had hit her, saying 'I am Plague', then Magneto had leapt at it, only to be beaten back by energy beams coming from its hands. With her limited magnetic powers Rogue had attempted to harm it in any way possible, to help Magneto. Nothing, she had found nothing to grab or manipulate. A wheezing laughter was heard from it, like a person in his death throes, and it had chilled Rogue to the bone. Magneto had then attempted to beat it down with his powerful Magnetic blasts. Even that had failed, and Plague had floated forward slowly.  
  
Then Rogue had been occupied with beating back a Prelate that tried to harm her with telepathic attacks, one which suddenly made her lose focus of what she was doing. She had struggled against it, and had leapt at the Prelate. He had grinned and opened his arms wide.  
  
"Come to Terry Bedlam girl, I promise you you'll enjoy being with me."  
  
She smiled and went into his embrace. He tried to grab her, but she pushed his hands away and smashed her head against his. He staggered back and she sent him to the ground with a dropkick to the jaw. Suddenly another one dressed like him had appeared and swept her legs from beneath her. She had fallen back under their combined assault. From behind she heard Magneto scream in pain. She flew back and landed next to him to see what the matter was. Plague had him pinned against a wall and was laughing in front of him, grabbing his throat. She had ran to the mutate and flung it back, but it moved out of the way, and stood a little way off; she helped Magneto stand.  
  
The X-men were falling back, not able to withstand such a force. When they beat down an Infinite, another popped up, only to be taken down, then replaced by a Prelate. While the Infinites could be handled with ease, Prelates and Externals were a different matter. Havok the new High Prelate, and another woman called Deathbird seemed to lead the Prelates, while the Externals, only three - Sinister wasn't there, and Rasputin, were led by Holocaust. Colossus had angrily attacked his brother, and the two were fighting slightly apart from everyone else. The Prelates had viciously taken to attacking Rumik, beating her back at every chance, especially Lumina and Quja. Psylocke fought against Quja, but the two were evenly matched. Exodus went up against the whole of Roulette, trying to get to Emma and Rumik.  
  
Then while the X-men fought frantically, another mutant or mutate had appeared, calling herself War. It seemed Apocalypse had found new horsemen. War had been a stunningly beautiful woman, with long black hair, and a face and body that made Rogue feel gaunt and ugly. The armor she wore seemed to be tailor made to fit her, which it probably was in retrospect. She had a sword with her but hadn't used it. In one blow she had sent Iceman and Renegade to the ground. Angel had dropped in front of her and tried to engage her in single combat, but she had sent him flying with a contemptuous blow to the side, even though Angel blocked it, or tried to. Apocalypse had laughed in the background. The X-men had fallen back, taking their wounded with them. They had been driven into the Danger Room area, and they managed to maintain it as a stronghold. Apocalypse couldn't break through its shielding. It had been programmed to hide them as well, courtesy of Know-it-all. Apocalypses forces were still here, and the X-men had sent out some members to keep them away. Even though they were potentially suicide missions, it was necessary.  
  
Rogue figured of the Infinites she had seen at the start of the battle, only four or five must be left. Unless there were more or Apocalypse had brought reinforcements. She had yet to meet any Prelates or Externals.  
  
Speak of the Devil. In the room beyond Candra stood alone, sitting on a chair. She looked expectant.  
  
"I was waiting for one of you to show up. Ironic it had to be you."  
  
Rogue stood warily as Candra stood.  
  
"What the hell do ya mean by all that?"  
  
Candra folded her arms beneath her breasts. Candra was in full battle dress, high boots with heels, all armored, as well as armored gloves that reached to her elbows. Her thin and flimsy halter-like top was covered with armor. Her hair fell around a red facial covering that left her face bare, covering the forehead and sides of her head, coming down to join with her shoulder covering, from which hung a cape.  
  
"I refer to one of your very close friends; shall we say one time lover, or perhaps still lover? Who is in our hands at the moment."  
  
Rogues hands curled into fists.  
  
"If he's harmed External, ah'm gonna have yoah hide."  
  
Candra laughed.  
  
"Oh, it's true. I thought you were with Magneto now. Remy darling is so talkative after we've made love, especially when it was more passionate than usual."  
  
Rogue stood in shock. She was lying, she had to be. Remy wouldn't sleep with her. Except, he was talkative after sex, he always had been. It had been an amusing quirk of his.  
  
"Stop lying you witch."  
  
Candra's eyes widened in mock-shock. She placed a hand on her well-endowed chest.  
  
"Me, lie? How could li'l ol you believe such a thang about me."  
  
The mockery of Rogue's accent served to infuriate her even more.  
  
"Ah'll make you eat yoah words External, an then ah'll beat the piss out of you." Rogue raised her arms.  
  
"Now now, young Rogue, I don't think Remy would like it. He is after all my newest lieutenant. Apocalypse would kill him the moment he finds out, but I have kept him safe, and it is only at my discretion that he lives. He is mine now, and there is nothing you can do about it."  
  
Rogue stared at her. Remy couldn't have gone over to the Tower, he hated them more than Magneto, more than anyone else she knew. Yet there was a ring of truth in the woman's voice. She told the truth of Apocalypse. He would kill any of them as soon as look at them. Yet she also told another truth. She had slept with Remy, Rogue was certain of it. Rogue's shoulders slumped.  
  
"He told me much of you Rogue; I feel a kinship with you. However you also hurt him unbearably. He has me now, and will never need you again."  
  
"Kill me an' get it ovah with External."  
  
Rogue was frozen in place. Candra had taken her preoccupation to grab her securely in a telekinetic grip, and Rogue couldn't break free.  
  
"I think not," the Externals face looked thoughtful. "It serves my purposes to let you live, all of you. It will keep Apocalypse busy; the Human High Council is too weak to bother him much. It is you X-men that prove annoying to him. I give you your life for now X-woman. My only warning is, don't attempt to rescue Remy Lebeau."  
  
She turned and walked away, leaving Rogue frozen.  
  
Rogue stood in the now darkened room, waiting. As soon as she could move again she flew to where Candra had disappeared, but found nothing. She clenched her fists and decided to return to the Danger Room.  
  
She never made it all the way. As she neared the wall to the right seemed to fold in on itself. As she watched two figures materialized out of thin air. One was a dread figure throughout the remaining world, even to his ally's. The master of the tower, Apocalypse stood in front of her, with the thin figure which had called itself Plague. Apocalypse and one of his horsemen. Fucking shit.  
  
"Look what we have here, Plague. An X-man, or rather X-woman. Rogue, wife of Magneto, one of the leaders of the X-men, and one with a most powerful mutation. How nice of her to come to us this way." Apocalypses voice was cruel, his smile more so. One of the few emotions he was rumored to show.  
  
Plague laughed, the hissing sound of its laugh chilling Rogues bones. She took a step back.  
  
"Kill her; she is of no use to me."  
  
Plague's laugh grew louder and it moved forward, one thin gauntlet reaching out for her. No, Rogue thought, it can't end this way. I'll die fighting. She ran forward and attempted to punch the foul horseman. The blow connected solidly with Plague's face, twisting it around with a sickening crack. Smiling, the face righted itself, and returned Rogue's punch, sending her flying into the wall. Apocalypse seemed to disappear, teleporting away.  
  
Rogue ran forward and attempted to strike at Plague again. Then she suddenly removed her gloves and grabbed Plagues arm, where part of its skin showed.  
  
Plague flinched and then Rogue felt the shift as its energies began draining into her. It was insane, and she felt sickened thinking about this foul creature coming into her, but it was necessary. If she died killing a horseman, it would be a fair trade. Suddenly the flow stopped and Plagues laughter began anew.  
  
"Primitive child. Your life sucking power is nothing compared to mine. I can drain you dry."  
  
Rogue's eyes widened in horror as she realized Plague was sucking her energies now. She realized what it was like to be on the victim's end of her power, and she sagged in Plagues arms as it held her up with one of its hands, the other wrapped firmly around hers.  
  
She was drifting in memories as she felt her life-force ebb away. This is what it's like to have your life flash before your eyes she thought. She saw herself as a kid, as a young member of the X-men, as a young woman falling in love with a charming young Cajun, in the Cajuns arms, leaving him for another, dearer. She saw herself at the moment she realized she was having Erik's baby. She smiled as darkness began to overtake her.  
  
"NO!" The cry was one of anger, despair and agony.  
  
Plague had only time to see the massive slab of steel heading for it, before it was smashed into the wall. Even with it's precognitive abilities, it could not defend against that. Magneto bent and took the unconscious Rogue in his arms. He stroked her face, her arms, her shoulders, anything to make her stay alive.  
  
"Rogue, darling, it's alright, I'm here, I'll take care of you."  
  
Storm rose up behind him, her eyes white, her fury palpable to all around her.  
  
Plague dug its way out of the rubble, its eyes glowing with fury.  
  
"That was the last thing you will ever do, Magnus."  
  
Magneto looked up at Plague. However before he could react, Storm spoke.  
  
"No, it is you who will die here Horseman. Face the power of nature itself coming against you."  
  
She raised her arms and a massive bolt of lightning struck Plague. Magneto smelled smoke and charred flesh. Then a strong wind began blowing, from in front of Magneto. Plague stood up again, reeling from the effects of the lightning bolt. The winds hit it, smashing it into the wall, where it was covered in ice almost instantaneously. Magneto watched in grim satisfaction as the horseman was frozen in place by the fury of Storm.  
  
"Excellently done Storm. Let's get out of here."  
  
As he stood with Rogue in his arms, the ice cracked and he turned, a dull feeling in his stomach.  
  
Plague broke free of the ice, its hair swirling up as though it had a life of its own. The ice swirled around it and then spun around as though in a raging maelstrom. Then the shards were hurled towards them. It was only good reflexes and Storms control over the wind that saved them. The shards were all blown aside.  
  
"Fool woman, you seek to match your powers against one of the horsemen?" Its tone was one of incredulity. Suddenly beams of energy erupted from its hands and sped towards them. The X-men ducked aside, Magneto and Scarlet Witch to the left, and Storm and Shadowcat to the right.  
  
Suddenly the wall behind Plague crumbled as Colossus burst through and smashed into Plague. Plague screamed once as it was propelled across the corridor into another wall, getting embedded a few inches before stopping.  
  
"They are not alone foul dog of Apocalypse."  
  
Shadowcat ran up and hugged his armored shape.  
  
"We must hurry; in this shape we cannot fight all of them." They turned to see two Prelates, Lumina and one all in red run around the corner. Thin red beams came from the red ones hands and the X-men ducked around the wall and ran on. Magneto disliked running from a battle, but it was necessary in this instance.  
  
x---------------x  
  
Emma stood looking around. They had left the Danger room a little while ago, Magneto taking a small team with him, Colossus another and Emma had taken one with her. Renegade was with them, while Iceman was with Colossus. Helena and Psylocke, Marrow and herself. A pity Marrow had to awaken from her coma now. Colossus had taken Angel and Quicksilver with him. Too much death. Many of the mutants here had been killed, and the living quarters were destroyed. The other teachers had also died. Emma had managed to send of a message before a group of Infinites had destroyed the communication room. They moved cautiously, Renegade was awake, but was hurt fairly badly. He would be of little use in a battle. They had met no one. They were to head for the Hybrid and secure it. The remains of the teachers of the students and the teachers would be headed for it too, that was one thing that had been drilled into everyone. However only X-men knew how to operate it, apart from two human pilots, who were now dead. Emma was taking one key with her, while Colossus had another and Magneto another. All of them could open and operate it on its own. Emma was certain they had not seen the last of the Externals or the Prelates, or even the two horsemen Apocalypse had brought with him. These two were far worse than the four he had had before. The previous Horsemen, Death, Sarek, Pestilence and Abyss had been strong, but not overly much. Two or three X-men would have been enough to take them down. However these two were completely different. They were massively strong, and seemed to shrug of attacks that would level an entire city block. She had seen Magneto destroy over a hundred Infinites with his Magnetic blasts, and Plague had just shrugged it off. The other one, War had seemed just as powerful.  
  
The one person she was most watchful for was however Exodus. In the Hellfire Cub he had been charming and courteous. A handsome, distinguished mutant, one she had fallen for. Then she found out he was Apocalypses servant and he had attempted to kill her. The charming Black Knight had not succeeded, and she had escaped. Shaw and Selene had not been so lucky. Her oldest ally, Shaw had been killed in the wreckage, and her counterpart Selene had died facing Apocalypse in single combat.  
  
She shook her head, and freed herself from old memories. Those weren't days she wanted to particularly remember. She had been cold and ruthless then. She then thought with a start that she would have to be like that now. In times like these, if you weren't ruthless, then you would probably be killed. Not merciless or cruel, but ruthless and hard. She steeled herself for the upcoming conflict. That there would be one was not something she doubted. They had to get to the Hybrid, that was what was important.  
  
Emma snuck forward; they were moving down a darkened corridor. She moved forward and saw that there were two doors ahead, on opposite sides. They must be two doors to the lounge and rec. room. She moved silently past, looking inside. What she saw was slightly unnerving. Sammael and The horseman of War stood inside, with the High Prelate Havok and Prelates Polaris and Quja. Five of them, and although there were five of them as well, even Sammael or War alone could take them down. The Prelates would be easier, though dangerous themselves. She mouthed back to the others as to who was in the room. They nodded at her command to sneak past and to do so quickly. They nodded.  
  
Marrow passed first, then Psylocke, followed by Renegade. However it was at that moment that Renegades ankle gave way and buckled, and he fell to the ground. By the time he got up, Polaris had looked towards the door. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to give a warning. Helena quickly ran forward and grabbed Renegade, pulling him along. They ran and heard the Prelates moving up, followed by the familiar slinking of Sammael's boots and the heavy metallic jingle of War's. They ran up the stairs ahead and burst out onto the grass. It was empty, and the hangar was just ahead.  
  
Emma ran, making sure the others were behind. Helena tried to close up the opening, but a blast of energy tore apart the cover she had provided. Sammael burst out, followed closely by War, with Havok, Polaris and Quja close behind. Emma hurled a telepathic bolt at Polaris and she fell back. It was well calculated as Havok fell back to check on his lover. However Quja was running forward, his sword out, as was War, her sword out as well, already glowing, though it was a real one, while Quja's was psionic, though no less dangerous. Psylocke pulled out her daggers, her resigned sigh ringing heavily in the silence. Helena slowed and came to a stop a few feet beyond Psylocke. Renegade took to the skies, his hands already held flaming balls. Marrow had pulled up the armor of her bones and gripped two daggers in each hand. They would have to fight.  
  
Emma turned as well, ready to fight, but not too hopeful of the outcome. Sammael laughed and struck first, his energy beam scattering them. Quja leapt at Psylocke, engaging her in a clash of psionic weaponry. Helena raised the ground around Havok and Polaris, trapping them for the time being. Havok yelled a curse at her. War just stood on the ground, her sword out. Marrow launched two bone daggers at War, but she just chopped them down with her sword, and then turned to stare at Marrow. Her purple glowing eyes were devoid of any emotion. Then they seemed to gleam with what Emma could only describe as glee. Marrow snarled and drew out two other daggers and ran at War.  
  
"No, Marrow!" Emma warned Marrow, but Marrow ran on, already lost in a haze of bloodlust. She evaded War's stroke, and slashed at her. War, took the blow on the arm, and nothing happened. Emma stared as War's hand snaked out and grabbed Marrow by the throat. Marrow struggled and slashed at War's face. War snarled and stepped back, dropping Marrow, who took the chance to attack again. Except War evaded the slash by jumping back ten feet. Marrow leapt forward again and War pointed her sword at Marrow and dropped her with an intense energy beam. Marrow fell to the ground, half of her body blasted away, and her eyes wide in surprise.  
  
"NO!" Psylockes cry could be heard, her anguish evident. Quja fell back against the now relentless assault, barely able to defend himself against the rage of Psylocke. Renegade hurled fireball after fireball at War, who merely extended a shield around her that absorbed each. Sammael flew down and tried to swipe Emma, who just managed to evade.  
  
"Playing hard to get White Queen?" Sammael's tone was mocking. Emma's eyes narrowed and she focused a powerful psi-blast at Sammael. Sammael reeled back under the massive assault, but his defenses whipped into place before Emma could any real damage and he nodded in slight respect to Emma. Then he leapt at her again. Emma fell back under his assault barely able to evade his attacks. In a prolonged fight she would fall to him easily. She had to run. She turned and ran towards the hangar hatchway, dropping just before Sammael hit her. He fell to the ground in front, rolling so that he managed to spring up a few feet ahead of the hangar.  
  
Helena hurled part of the ground at him, and he was swallowed up by the ground. Emma nodded in thanks to Helena, just before Sammael managed to blast out of the ground.  
  
Another plasma blast went through the air. Havok and Polaris were free. Emma turned to see Psylocke engaging Polaris, while Havok ran towards Renegade, who lay on the ground. Renegade however, was reached by War first, who picked him up and hurled him through the air. Renegade managed to stay in air however and dive-bombed War, who ducked the attack, and grabbed Renegade and hurled him at Quja. They fell to the ground. Renegade then stood, and Quja tried to get up from behind. Renegade grabbed Quja and before the stunned Prelate could do anything, Renegade was running forward, limping slightly, and using Quja as a shield. War seemed to care less about it, shooting beams at him, which struck Quja who shuddered with every blast. Finally he threw Quja at War, who smashed him aside. Renegade followed up by shooting ten fireballs in a row at War, and rolling forward to knock War back with a thrust kick. War got hit by the first two, shielded herself from the next five, and then absorbed the last three. Renegade got there in time to have him leg grabbed and then snapped by War. He cried out in pain. War then plunged her sword into his body and lifted the carcass high.  
  
"NO!" Neither Emma, Psylocke nor Helena had cried out.  
  
They turned to see the rest of the X-men approaching, with Magneto holding an unconscious Rogue in his hands.  
  
Emma did the only thing available to her, she jumped into the hangar, followed by the X-men and Psylocke and Helena. Psylocke was crying, while Helena tried to comfort her. Emma felt for her, as she had just lost the last remaining of her team, Gambit had been captured by the Tower, and Mystique had disappeared with Jean, while Ororo was very preoccupied now. The other survivors looked up in alarm, then exultation as they approached. They quickly loaded the Hybrid. Magneto looked up at the force field holding back the Tower's forces. It was weakening.  
  
The boarded the Hybrid quickly and Magneto and Quicksilver ran to the cockpit. The engine was started by the time Magneto was strapped in. They lifted off, and flew out of the hangar opening at the side of the island.  
  
Emma watched from behind as Holocaust stood on top of their communications tower and blasted apart the living quarters of the students and the school established.  
  
As she looked down at the grassy field, she imagined she could see two bodies lying on the ground.  
  
Emma bowed her head. They had escaped, but they paid a heavy price.  
  
x----------------- x  
  
The X-Jet circled around the island, trying to find signs of life. Logan had growled upon seeing it, and Jean had gasped in fear. Sean had hung his head in anger and sadness. Kurt had muttered a prayer. Victor too had been shocked at seeing the devastation. Blink and Shiro had watched in bitterness. Their hopes of joining the X-men had died. Even Scott couldn't keep away the poignancy of the shattered island. It had been almost heaven compared to the world Scott had lived in. Children had played freely, grass and trees had grown. It had retained some small remnant of what life had been like before Apocalypse had taken over and destroyed.  
  
Rubble. The island had been reduced to slag, no longer the brimming cup of hope it had once seemed.  
  
The plane landed on an unmarked area. The passengers got off, Logan leading, claws out, with Blink and Victor trailing. They stood on guard, just in case Apocalypse had left any people behind. It was Apocalypse; oh there were a few other factions that could be responsible, maybe the human high council, though that was unlikely at best, or perhaps the renegade Externals, Galaire's old partners. However, it was almost certainly Apocalypse. No one else could have done it in such ruthless fashion. Besides, Scott had spotted some Infinites destroyed lying about.  
  
"Effectively done." Scott couldn't help pointing it out, it was in his tactical nature, "however some of it seems rushed, botched almost. The razing of the grass seems wasteful."  
  
All of the others looked at him in annoyance, even Jean.  
  
He held up his hands, apologetically.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's in my nature to observe an old battlefield and check for clues as to how the enemy fights. I employed that technique against you X- men as well."  
  
Logan barked a laugh, and Victor sniggered. Blink and Shiro looked confused and Kurt and Sean looked plain angry. Jean also stared at him in irritation and slight anger. He sent her his apologies mentally. She smiled slightly, and his lips quirked in a smile as well. He hadn't smiled much before he met her. He had no real reason to.  
  
They moved through the ruins of Muir isle quickly, stopping only to pick up anything that might be of some interest. Scott, Victor, Shiro and Blink scouted around the island. They didn't know the island, and so would be pointless in a search, especially Scott. He wouldn't be able to see color. Jean hadn't said that out loud, but Logan had, grinning. He and Scott had developed a mutual sort of respect. There wasn't much like, not yet, not with all the enmity they still shared. Scott had taken Logan's hand; Logan had given Scott the only black mark in his record in the Tower. However what Logan really didn't like was that Scott had taken Logan's girl away from him. They'd deal with it. They shared a few common traits, loyalty to what they believed to be right, perseverance in the face of awesome odds, and a passion for the same woman. However they also differed wildly. Logan believed in using his claws to settle a problem, Scott preferred using his head, leaving his powers and physical strength as a last straw. Logan didn't really believe in mercy, and to a certain extent Scott wasn't too inclined to believe in it as well. A dead enemy wouldn't be around to bother you later.  
  
Scott shook his head and continued to scout the area, keeping a sharp watch for any of Apocalypse's lackeys or any hidden surprises. However he didn't believe Apocalypse would have. He wasn't stupid, but in a victory he wouldn't leave without completely crushing the opponent, not unless he had to. In this case Muir Isle was finished.  
  
"The X-men are still alive. At least some of 'em."  
  
Scott looked up at Logan crouching on top of a broken wall. He looked very much the feral at that moment, the wind whipping his wild hair around his face. His crouch was reminiscent of a wild animal ready to leap at its prey.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Didn't find the Hybrid. Only X-men and a couple of pilots can operate it. Found the pilots that a ways."  
  
Scott nodded. He expected a few would have gotten away.  
  
"Let's go, Jeannie and the others at the X-jet, tracking the Hybrid."  
  
Scott got up and followed Logan.  
  
"I've got a trace on it. It's moving really fast, heading for... the Slavic regions. Of course, to Wundagore."  
  
Scott stared in shock.  
  
"Wundagore? But that's been destroyed."  
  
Jean grinned at him, in a smile very like Logan. Scott shivered slightly. It was uncanny how much she could sound like him, especially in a bloodthirsty mood, or when she knew something the other didn't. He was starting to notice it after a few days in her company.  
  
"Yup." And that was all she would say on the subject. Scott sat down in a chair and tried to think of what Wundagore Mountain could be. The original was destroyed, in one of the titanic battles between the X-men and Apocalypse, in the backlash after the Citadel had been destroyed. It couldn't still be there, could it? He decided to let it go and see what had happened once he got there.  
  
They reached the Slavic regions a little after nightfall. The X-jet was getting a positive feedback from the Hybrid. They were nearly in communicating distance, but in the distorted magnetic field around the area it was very difficult to achieve any normal sort of communication.  
  
Sean was trying to raise the X-men's frequency in the corner of the cockpit. There was no response. Scott didn't really believe there would be. This place was nearly what hell on earth could be. Sudden and extreme changes in temperatures, and shrieking winds. He would never have expected anyone, least of all a man whose mutation was magnetic in nature to have gone here again, especially as it was the sight of his greatest defeat.  
  
Perhaps second greatest though.  
  
Anyway, it had been the beginning of the end for the X-men. Scott wondered what the central Asia region would be like, if this was so bad. It was supposed to be even worse. The sight of the Avengers last stand.  
  
Suddenly the X-jet shook as though in the grip of some creature. Scott stared outside, but could see nothing. Then it struck him. Magneto had them. If they were this close for him to be able to get such a firm hold on them, the X-men must have not been answering on purpose. The X-jet lurched again and then it was streaking a little to the left with amazing speed. Magneto was far more powerful than he had believed. He shivered thinking that he was lucky not to have witnessed Magneto and Nemesis's fight, in which Magneto destroyed his body dooming him to be reborn as Holocaust.  
  
Suddenly a massive mountain loomed up. The man was intending to kill them. He stood up in a shock.  
  
"What's he doing? Why's he doing this?"  
  
His questions went unanswered as they all stared at the closing wall of rock in horror. It struck him then. Magneto thought Scott was responsible for Apocalypse finding out about Muir Isle. He would have to, unless Apocalypse tipped his hand in the battle, telling whatever source he had used, but that was unlikely. He must have thought Scott was coming back, and a positive identification of the occupant of the X-jet would have confirmed it. Plus he didn't think they had parted in the best of terms.  
  
He stared at the rock wall, waiting for the inevitable.  
  
It never came. The rock wall slid open and the X-jet was swept inside, the door closing quickly before the wind outside and lightning storm managed to damage the interior.  
  
The X-jet landed rather haphazardly on a large stylized X.  
  
"Welcome Scott to the remains of Wundagore Mountain."  
  
Scott opened his eyes and looked around in wonder. The X-men left the X-jet slowly, and stood outside, looking around.  
  
He heard the X-men approach before they arrived, Magneto leading. Before he could do anything he was pinned against the wall, barely able to move. He nearly opened his visor, before he realized that it would be useless, and escalate matters even worse.  
  
"Damned scum of the earth, you dare come here!"  
  
Scott felt the glow before he saw it. Magneto was using all his power. He must be to manipulate the small iron particles in his blood.  
  
"Stop Erik! What are you doing?"  
  
Jean ran forward, but suddenly Angel was there, rising up in front of her.  
  
"Back Jean, or I'll be forced to hurt you."  
  
She looked at him shocked.  
  
"I call judgment upon you high Prelate, for all you've done. For the capturing and torture of innocent mutants. For the death of Charles Xavier. For the betrayal of those who forgave you of the aforementioned sins before, and for leading Apocalypse into our base!"  
  
Magneto was walking forward as he spoke, and now he stood a few feet in front of Scott.  
  
Scott stared back at him, impassive.  
  
He regained his breath.  
  
Scott heard the sound of claws being released. His eyes shifted to Logan who was standing ready, growling. He wondered who Logan would support. Victor, Blink and Sunfire stood confused. Sean and Kurt stood neutral. He felt sad. He had hoped that they would have trusted him by now. Jean ran forward, but Iceman froze her legs to the ground.  
  
Emma stood in front of her now, ready to counter any telepathic attack.  
  
"Know this Scott Summers, High Prelate Cyclops. I pronounce judgment on you. I sentence you to death."  
  
Scott realized he would die now. He never felt so helpless in his life. His jaw clenched. He couldn't die, not yet, not this way. If necessary he would have to raise his visor.  
  
He felt calming vibes coming from Jean, but underlying it was panic. She wasn't sure if she could help him live, and that bolstered Scott's anger suddenly.  
  
"To hell with your sentences. I have done wrong in the past, and yes I killed Xavier. But I never betrayed you're so called 'trust'. I never spilt any of the information to Apocalypse or any of his allies. If anything, I reject you're judgment. I thought you X-men were trustworthy. I gave my life in your hands, and you told me to leave you. That was as I wanted at the time, and I left. However you never trusted me, so don't me give that crap of betraying your trust. Kill me if you can Magneto, I am no easy prey."  
  
Magneto's eyes narrowed and he opened his mouth to speak.  
  
"Leave him!"  
  
Suddenly Magneto was rising into the air, being flung away, to land near Quicksilver his son. Iceman immediately sent a beam of ice Jean's way, but she held up a telekinetic shield. Angel ran forward, as did Emma. Rogue led the charge though, and she screamed in rage at Jean.  
  
Betsy's psi-blade slashed Jean's shield and the others attacked.  
  
Suddenly Logan snarled and leapt forward, kicking Angel away, and smashing Psylocke with his metal stub.  
  
Scott stared flabbergasted. However he didn't have much time. Magneto was already rising, and Quicksilver was recovering from where Jean had hurled him. Scarlet Witch was already aiming at him.  
  
He shot a small beam to her side, knocking her down. He wouldn't kill if it wasn't necessary. He ran forward, wishing he was wearing his gauntlets. He had taken them off, and was sorely missing their extra power.  
  
Victor and Blink seemed to have gotten over the shock. They ran forward, Victor helping Logan, and Blink helping Victor.  
  
Colossus was there then, punching Victor back. Blink snarled in rage and then Colossus was hanging thirty feet above the ground. He fell and smashed into the recovering Angel. Shadowcat and Strom were looking at the battle in horror. Sunfire flew to the top of the hangar and screamed, "Stop!"  
  
The battle amazingly stopped, everyone looking up at him.  
  
"Is this the legendary X-men I have heard of, battling each other due to suspicion and malice? You should be ashamed of yourselves."  
  
Storm rose beside him, "He speaks the truth. We are a team. We also have no proof against Cyclops. We cannot judge him fairly. I also refuse to believe there is any mind control that will work on so many, or that these same are traitors. Is bloodshed and hatred all that is our forte?" Ororo sounded sad, heartbroken Scott would have said.  
  
Sunfire spoke then, "Cyclops, the old high Prelate was my enemy once. But this man, Scott Summers, Cyclops, is a good man, and one who risked his life to save me and mine. These X-men helped to take down a powerful mutate, calling himself the fourth horseman of Apocalypse, the Beast. The Beast threatened Avalon and it took the combined forces of Scott, Jean, myself, Logan, Victor, Blink and even the mighty Juggernaut to defeat it. We would not have been able to do so if Scott had not helped us. AS such I see no right for you to pronounce Judgment on him. Least of all if you never gave him your trust in the first place. I came here intending to join your illustrious X-men. Now I am thinking of reconsidering."  
  
Magneto stood levitated into the air. He then flew in front of Sunfire. He pondered for a minute, then his head hung.  
  
'We have been hasty. I am sorry about that. It's the shock, the anger that flows through us. I must stop making excuses. We were wrong to judge him. He has proven his loyalty many times. What you say is true though. The X- men have failed at what they are." He turned and only Jean and Scott heard what he said next.  
  
"I am sorry Charles." Jean because she was monitoring his thoughts and Scott because Jean was sending him what she saw.  
  
Storm spoke again.  
  
"The X-men have not failed Erik. We have merely been confused and are heart- stricken. We have cause, our base was destroyed, and two friends have died. On top of that is the rift being caused between us. For that Cyclops you are responsible, though I cannot hold it against you. We have not failed Erik; we cannot, not with you to lead us." Rogue stepped up to her husband and hugged him.  
  
"We can never fail darlin."  
  
Logan sheathed his claws.  
  
Then Storm went up to Jean and hugged her.  
  
"Welcome back old friend."  
  
Jean hugged her back, then disengaged her embrace and walked up to Magneto. She knelt next to him.  
  
"I hated leaving you Erik, but I had to go. You love, and you would never leave Rogue alone, or Wanda or Pietro. I could not leave Scott. If I had, not only he, but Avalon would have fallen completely. As it is, it is destroyed, and the citizens are rebuilding it. We defeated a horseman, and if he was anything to go by, the others should be extremely difficult opponents. I make no excuses for myself, for I do not believe I need to. I would never leave the X-men for long Erik, not unless Scott's life was at stake, he must come first I'm afraid. I also love you Erik, you were like father to me, just like Charles was." Magneto bent his head, and Jean hugged him. Magneto hugged her back, and Scott felt relief pervade his mind. He finally relaxed.  
  
Things were finally looking up.  
  
==============================  
  
Well, that's that. About ten more chapters to go. I'm almost done with the fic. After that I'll begin writing my earliest fic, left unfinished for this one to go ahead. Well, it seems the X-men are getting mended, mostly thanks to Sunfire. I really like his character, but have some trouble writing him, since I've barely read any comics with him around. Anyway, read, review, and tune in next time for another chapter, with the return of Gambit. 


	3. Whisper

Hey, sorry for not updating fro so long, but I was really sick, like laid out for a bout three days, the whole death bed scenario etc.  
  
Anyway, here's the next chapter as promised, and now I will most probably update as promised. Seems things just keep getting from bad to worse on this story.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men. I never will in all likelihood.  
  
Please review: six_nites@hotmail.com  
  
Whisper  
  
Twiddle-dum, twiddle-dee. Twiddle-dum, twiddle-dee. Again. Twiddle-dum, twiddle-dee. Again, twiddle-dum, twid-  
  
Remy looked up from hypnotically twiddling his thumbs to see the door to his little chamber open.  
  
"Well, hello dere chere. Got me somet'ing?"  
  
Candra smiled at him.  
  
"That's what I like about you darling. You're so. optimistic. You might be happy to know that Apocalypse managed to destroy Muir Isle. Completely."  
  
Remy's senses reeled in shock. Muir Isle, destroyed? No, it couldn't be, please no.  
  
"No.." He hung his head. Destroyed.  
  
"You might be glad to know that most of your erstwhile compatriots managed to escape. Apocalypse wasn't too happy about that. Still, they are broken, defeated for now. It won't be long before we can finish them off now, bit by bit."  
  
Remy's heart had lightened when she had said that the X-men had escaped, then fell again when she said 'most'.  
  
"Who did'n make it out?" His voice was almost a croak.  
  
"Two of yours I believe, Marrow and Renegade. They fought bravely, but it was silly of them to think they could fight against a horseman, and one-on- one at that. Even I wouldn't be that stupid."  
  
Sarah and Gavin? No.  
  
"Nooooo!" He cried out angrily and strained at his bonds.  
  
"I had nothing to do with killing them Remy. In fact I didn't even try to harm the X-men. I know they are your friends, and I would not like to see you hurt, as much as it would seem as though I do."  
  
Remy continued to glower at her, his lips curled back, nearly snarling in rage. Visions of himself tearing apart the woman in front of him broke through his rage, fueling it almost.  
  
"It was a thorough victory. Please keep in mind Cajun, I did not try to hurt the X-men, I only defended myself, my presence a requirement of Apocalypses. Thankfully he still trusts me to do as I would, though I suspect that part of his reasoning in letting me go off alone was to give the X-men a better chance at killing me. His mind works in strange and complicated patterns. However that is now water under the bridge."  
  
She smiled and then Remy found he truly couldn't move. Candra had him in a vice-like telekinetic grip. She walked up to him and stroked his face.  
  
"I even met your past love, Rogue. A fiery young woman, very much what you said she was like. She still cares for you. that would be a problem. hmmm. no matter. She loves that fool Magneto, whatever good it does her. I also managed to figure another thing out about your old lover. She's pregnant. I do believe Magnus has been busy."  
  
Candra stroked his face again, and placed a soft kiss on his forehead, and two more on each cheek.  
  
She turned and began walking out of the door, then turned to look at him once more before releasing him.  
  
"Remember darling. I did this for love of you." She turned on her heel and walked out, shutting the door firmly, if softly.  
  
Remy barely noticed. It had taken one simple sentence to wash away his rage. Rogue was having Erik's baby. The words hammered in his head. One of his best-friends was having a baby with his love, the only woman apart from Belladonna he had loved so deeply as to forsake anything for her. For years he had dreamed of touching Rogue, of one day having children with her. He finally got his wish to touch her, only to lose it after she went to Erik. A man he considered his closest friend in the X-men, apart from Ororo. Rogue was having a child and it was not his. His heart bled again, the pain this time more than before, more than when she left him. The scars not fully healed burst anew, rending his heart asunder, the words tearing through his mind, scarring his soul. Rogue. He remembered a silly song he had once made up.  
  
Roguey, the baby and me.  
  
He felt a tear forming in the corner of his left eye. With that sentence Candra had frozen his soul, and left his heart shattered, the already broken thing being torn irreparably. For Candra to detect it meant that Rogue knew, must know, as would Erik. It was inconceivable that they had kept it to themselves. That meant at least some of the X-men knew. suddenly a lot of the things that he had found so strange began to make sense.  
  
Wanda becoming friendly with Rogue again, Ororo following suit and becoming colder to him, the insistences that he apologize to Rogue for ever mistreating her, and to be friendlier towards her.  
  
They knew, and no one had told him. Once again the feeling of being an outcast grew on him. The X-men had known!  
  
His heart began to mend itself slowly, the pieces falling into place again, freezing together colder than anything Iceman could make. He mourned for his friends, but only by rote. The agonies his heart had just gone through in a matter of a few seconds, the feeling of despair in his heart had overwhelmed him. He had mended it again, but this time it was kept safe from any further hurt. He would make sure nothing this bad ever happened to him again.  
  
"Ye were right Bella, I should have never fallen in love, it only brings hurt and pain. Suffering's not de word for it. I've not felt this way since you died, Bella. Forgive dis stupid Cajun. I made a promise to you Bella, and I'm gon' keep it."  
  
Remy looked at the door, his red eyes glowing dangerously. His mouth curved in a grim parody of a smile.  
  
This little Gambler wasn't done in this world. The X-men may be defeated, but he wasn't, and Apocalypse, Candra, and anyone who stood in his way would know that. Belladonna Boudreaux would be avenged. He swore it.  
  
x---------------------- x  
  
The horsemen convened in their master's rooms. Death arrived finally, teleporting near the door. Plague and War were already there, standing still. The absence of Beast struck the first horseman, but he didn't allow it to show. He was bonded to his fellow horsemen, and the loss of one was a blow to his strength. To their strength, as well as their masters.  
  
"You are late." Holocaust stood from his seat, and surveyed the horsemen with approval, with stern disapproval centered on Death.  
  
Holocaust had finally found out who these Horsemen were, a courtesy extended him by his father.  
  
He had been surprised; the choices for them had been strong, but not very trustworthy, numbering amongst his greatest enemies amongst the Externals.  
  
Shaman, his most powerful opponent, had been chosen to be the premier horsemen, the one who came before the others.  
  
Death, that which destroyed life. In terms of deadliness perhaps the most proficient horseman. A cold and merciless killer, very much at odds with the almost pacifistic nature, at least relative to other Externals, that he had once had. The eldest External, and ally of Nidlen Halfbane, Apocalypse's biggest thorn in the years before the Hellfire Club battle. Halfbane had been put to rest almost fifty years ago, in a grand battle, in which Sinister and he himself had aided Apocalypse. Holocaust, Nemesis as he had been known back then had sealed the grave of the foolish, yet powerful External. Shaman had later, during the Hellfire Club war, sought to destroy Apocalypse's massive array of celestial technology. He had destroyed three. One had been Apocalypse's most powerful. He had placed a body in there, one that would one day return, even stronger than Apocalypse, yet mentally weak, and a complete slave to his will. Shaman had destroyed that and two others, others which Apocalypse had intended to use as chambers for extra horsemen. Apocalypse had had to fight him, and managed to save the other four remaining chambers. He had beaten Shaman to within an inch of his life and then placed him in the chamber. In that Shaman had been changed, made submissive to Apocalypse, and far more powerful than he had once been.  
  
War, once known as Selene, the life-hunter. Perhaps the most beautiful External, and proud of that beauty. She had stolen countless souls in order to keep up her appearance, and feed her powers. Apocalypse had faced her soon after capturing Shaman and had fought in her single hand-to-hand combat across ravaged Manhattan. She had been strong and he had not expected her to last so long. Apocalypse had been very drained at the end of that battle. It wasn't until recently that Holocaust had begun to realize that Apocalypse had even then thought of using the death camps to feed his life-force. War was now the most destructive powered Horseman. She had only been behind Beast at that, but with the death of the fourth horseman she was the one capable of the most mass-destruction. Her ability to destroy nearly matched that of Holocaust, although her total powers made her perhaps more dangerous. Holocaust felt a bit jealous of that. But given his higher position, he didn't say anything.  
  
Plague. now that had been interesting. Burke once thought to be the weakest External. He had no powers that were manifested in energy output, physical difference, or even psionic; though it was possible his powers were psionic in nature. He had no invulnerability; in fact a flatscan could kill him, given the right weapon. However Burke had had a very useful power. He was precognitive, meaning in battle he could evade his enemy's attacks with ease. The process of changing him to a horseman had dulled that ability, though it had given him greater invulnerability, though not as much as Beast, War or even Death's level. He was still the horseman that was weakest in defense; however his precognition more than made up for that. His energy projection abilities also gave him a way to counter his enemy's attacks rather than simply evade or foresee them.  
  
Apocalypse had told him that the fool had struggled hard when being placed in the chamber, though he had foreseen his own changing into a horseman.  
  
The hollow boom of approaching footsteps alerted Holocaust and the horsemen. They all stood straighter for their mutual master.  
  
Apocalypse finally entered the room and sat in his throne. The horsemen greeted him. With Apocalypse they usually wore their original forms. Becoming horsemen had not changed all of their old habits. Plague still had tendencies to speak of things as though foreseeing them, even though he had lost that power. Death spoke in his crumbling voice that lost, almost the effect that he was lecturing. War still liked to dress in seductive robes and flaunt her body. Her voice managed to be silky and seductive, even though it had the briskness of a warmaster, or mistress in this case.  
  
Apocalypse sat in thought for a long time. As a mark of respect and obedience neither of the others spoke, although the wait was long.  
  
"We accomplished a lot." He finally spoke.  
  
"We managed to destroy the base of the X-men rebels. We killed two of their numbers. However a few were missing, or were not seen or detected. Added to that was the fact that the rest escaped. We lost none except for the Infinites. However we could not capture even one X-man. I had wanted to kill them all, or barring that capture at least one, preferably Magnus."  
  
He subsided into thought once again. Death spoke then.  
  
"A victory, but not what you had envisioned, sire. I regret not being there; perhaps the result might have been different. Having another horseman could not have hurt."  
  
Holocaust stared at him suspiciously for a moment. He sounded almost boastful, but let it go. He could not be boastful, of all the Horsemen, Death showed the least emotion. Pride was something Apocalypse had made certain was no there in any of his horsemen. Contempt and rage, surely. But not pride. Apocalypse despised pride, and egos. Death spoke the truth in any case. His presence would have made a difference most likely.  
  
"Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, your work with the Human High Council is almost as important. The X-men are broken for the moment; however we must be on the guard. They are also very likely to be desperate, and desperation is a powerful weapon. Already one of you horsemen has fallen. You are irreplaceable, and I cannot have more of you lost. Already too many of my allies fall. Archanfel, Beast, and even Sinister have gone. Cyclops, the man I wanted to make equal to the Externals, or Holocaust and Rasputin, one of my right hands, turned traitor." Apocalypse didn't voice his other fear. Their unique DNA matches had struck a chord of fear in him. It had resonated very powerfully. That celestial technology had aided him in choosing who to use as Horsemen. Only those with very powerful life-forces and unique powers could be turned to horsemen. The horsemen had been tested for compatibility with the chambers, and had been chosen to be those horsemen. Just like Sinister had proven to be a perfect specimen to corrupt. At any rate, there was nothing to be done about that. His armies would crush all resistance, and he would finally wrench the reins of the world into his hands alone. Too long he had shared domination with the pitiful humans. It was time to take what was his by right of strength. He was the fittest, and he would take what was his.  
  
"We must turn our attention to the Human High Council now. That is why you were specifically summoned Death."  
  
He bent his head a little in a gesture of understanding.  
  
"I understand master. I have sowed doubt and despair into the hearts of many. Already many of the highest ranking Human's listen to me. Only a few voices on the High Council oppose me. In my role as advisor to Brian Braddock I have managed to turn over the entire council except two to my way of thinking. Only Dr. Trask, Susan Storm and Dr. von Doom oppose me. Dr. Trask was a former lover of Xavier's so it is safe to assume she will not turn against them. The other two worry me. Susan Storms younger brother Jonathan Strom is working to change his sister's way of thinking. Perhaps she will finally change he way of thinking. It is uncertain. However half the council agrees with me. Once I convince one more person to let the Sentinel's loose on the world, and to abandon the X-men they will be ripe to finish off. Divided they shall fall. They are weak in their blind hatred master."  
  
Apocalypse smiled, and Holocaust was chilled by the sight.  
  
"Excellent. Holocaust, I have a proposition. To get the humans to retaliate, start culling the human's that we have left alone in my empire. Once that starts the Human High Council will be forced to act, and we will be waiting. One large processing plant still remains. Use the Infinites from there. It is a secret lair, one that none, barring one, outside this room have seen. The only other was Dark Beast."  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Go now.' Holocaust laughed in delight. He loved to kill flatscans. He had not gotten a chance to do anything during the battle at Muir Isle, apart from leveling the island. He missed the pleasure of destroying life. He began to concoct different method to use to kill the humans. The skull-like form the energy showed as his face smiled in joy.  
  
x------------------ x  
  
The X-men mourned. Well, nearly all of them. Victor, Shiro and Blink didn't. Neither did Cyclops, at least not for the loss the X-men felt. Although he had finally been offered the position of being an X-man, he had declined politely, telling Magneto that he would help them, but he wasn't an X-man. Jean had been amused at that. He still didn't trust all the X- men. She supposed it would have to be that way, coming after a life of always looking over your shoulder, even being suspicious of your brother. The only two people Scott had trusted earlier were Sinister and Cecilia. He now alternated between hate and love for Sinister. Scott considered him his father, and a bond developed over the years wasn't that easy to break. Recently his thoughts had turned to the few good moments with Sinister, and all the favor's he had enjoyed as his favored son. Jean had become more and more angry when his thoughts had turned to their capture and his subsequent gauntlets and the revelation that Sinister had probably been using him all those years. However his thoughts had clouded quickly. Jean couldn't tell what he was thinking, not without a conscious effort. It was easy to probe him, unless he was blocking her. With the chips Sinsiter and Dark Beast had implanted in his head, he was almost as well shielded from a telepath as a telepath itself would be. With their psychic link it was easier to read his thoughts, and sometimes his feelings came out so raw that she had to find out what was wrong. He had nightmares too. Dreams of a burning house, a burning plane, an orphanage and needles. Then there were dreams of her, and nightmares of her. Those shriveled her soul.  
  
However, watching him work out now, Jean had to admit that his dreams and nightmares weren't really at the top of her mind. He was almost as bad as Logan. Watching him doing push-ups, with one hand, and reaching a count of four hundred, she was feeling tired, and dangerously turned on. She had always felt attracted to dangerous men, Logan being a prime example. There was also a boy in her old neighborhood, a wild boy, who had always been smoking and was usually stone drunk at night. He was also roguishly good looking and had been leader of a small gang. When she met him, he had been well mannered, yet beneath his thin veneer of grace had been a quality that shouted dangerous. However he was nothing compared to Scott and Logan. Scott was dangerous as a fighter. The way he had dealt with them earlier, and the way he had defeated both Dark Beast and Beast had proved that. As a fighter, he was second only to Logan, and with the added bonus of his energy projection he was about evenly matched with Logan. He was also a dead aim. She had found him practicing with a gun at one point, throwing small targets up in the air, and vaporizing them. Jean had been impressed. However it wasn't his abilities that gave him his dangerous edge, just like with Logan. No, it was his posture, the aura he gave off that radiated his power. That he was dangerous was not a surprise. He had been a brutally efficient leader, hunting down his enemies and sparing them only when honor demanded it. He was honorable. That she realized was what had shifted the balance in his favor for Logan. Logan was honorable himself. They had once been great enemies, Logan scarring him on his side, and destroying an Infinite plant, while Scott destroyed Logan's left arm. His attitude had changed when Scott had spent a little time with them, and after the fight with Beast, Logan had seemed to accept Scott into the circle of people he would protect at all costs. There wasn't much friendship, but plenty of respect. Scott respected Logan, and Logan respected Scott. For Jean, that was enough. The man she had come to love as an older brother, or more perhaps, and the man she loved more than life itself were okay with each other. She had dreaded that they would fight again, but it hadn't happened.  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?" Jean broke out of her reverie to see Kitty next to her.  
  
"It's okay Kitty, I was just reminiscing, and thinking about other things, things I haven't had time to think about for a while now."  
  
"Things that have to do with tall, dark and handsome over there?" Kitty had a smile on her face. Jean smiled back slightly at the teasing tone.  
  
"Maybe." A vague answer was enough.  
  
"Mmm, he does have a nice body though, smooth and sculpted, yet not as muscular as Peter or Victor. Very sexy though, I approve."  
  
"He is isn't he?"  
  
They began to laugh. Scott turned and looked at them, and Kitty winked suggestively at him. He looked startled and that caused Jean and Kitty to laugh even more.  
  
"Please Kitty, don't do that. If Peter saw he'd probably kill Scott." Jean was amused.  
  
"Yeah, but I have to really make him look sometimes. He may be a bit of a jealous type, but he's usually too busy to notice. Always worrying about the kid's safety over here. After Muir Isle he's begun talking to himself again. I think the appearance of his brother sparked that off. He's not been so morose and grim since his brother first turned and his sister died. I worry about him sometimes." Kitty sighed and shrugged, settling down next to her old friend.  
  
"I know Kitty, keep up your hope, and be there for him. That's all you can do now I guess." She placed a comforting arm around her. Kitty nodded and bowing her head lit a cigarette. She began drawing on it slowly. These days even a good cigarette cost the earth, and most of the ones available were low quality. However Kitty always seemed to have a good pack on hand. Jean snatched one out of her hand and lit up herself.  
  
"Been a while Jeannie."  
  
They hadn't heard Logan appear.  
  
Jean looked at him and smiled.  
  
"Hey, I guess. I just felt like having one now. With the events of the past few weeks, I really haven't had much time."  
  
Logan nodded and settled down next to them on the bench.  
  
"Gotta admit. That kid does work like a dog."  
  
"You mean like you." Kitty broke in with a small grin.  
  
Logan coughed and then looked at her with a mock-scowl. In the corner Jean saw Blink and Sabretooth begin a sparring session.  
  
"Hey Jeannie, if you're not busy, I think you oughta go see Ororo." Logan's voice was soft.  
  
"'Ro? What's wrong?" Jean was surprised. Logan sounded cautious.  
  
"She's just lost her entire group except Betsy, as well as the man she considered her brother. She needs someone, an' I'm not that someone."  
  
Kitty sighed.  
  
"She's trying to be strong for the team's sake, but she's probably more lost than even Betsy. Betsy has Helena to fall back upon. Ro's got no one." Kitty sounded sad. Jean nodded, and got up to leave. In the corner Blink was soundly throwing Victor into a wall. She stifled a grin. Victor was a good teacher, and Blink learned fast.  
  
Jean passed through the hallways. Warren and Bobby stood in one hallway. Bobby was nearly recovered completely. His powers allowed him to be near impervious and able to reform himself when in ice form. His eyes were a bit haggard and he sounded duller.  
  
"Hey guys, seen Ro around?"  
  
Warren nodded to her while Bobby answered.  
  
"I think she's in the monitor room, why?"  
  
Jean shrugged.  
  
"I figured she could use a friend right now."  
  
They nodded and she left them, heading for the monitor room. Usually that was Erik's haunt, or Logan's, but it seemed Ororo had some brooding to do as well. Jean sighed. After the confrontation n the hangar, Erik had become more like his old self, yet even now he was crippled with doubt. Jean felt for him as he had been like a third father to her, after Xavier. He was floundering now, his iron will and his faith in himself crushed by Apocalypse's victory at Muir Isle, his wrong judgment of Scott and her, as well as the loss of life at Muir Isle, life he couldn't protect. Compounded on that was the fact that he had not yet gotten over the death of his old friend Xavier. Erik was reeling from the effects, and had not gotten back on his feet. However Jean hoped that Rogue was able to help him get over it. With her being pregnant, Erik had more to live, and fight, for.  
  
Jean reached the monitor room. Inside, the room was darkened, with the soft glow of monitors providing any light. Ororo sat in a chair in the middle, looking out at the large wall. She slowly turned and saw Jean.  
  
"Welcome my friend, what can I do for you?"  
  
Jean walked in. There had been the faintest crack in Ororo's voice. She wondered if she had been crying. It would be like her, to cry when no one sees.  
  
"The question is 'Ro, what can I do for you?"  
  
Ororo turned to look at her again.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
There was definitely a catch in her voice now. Jean remembered all the times Ororo had helped her deal with pain and she walked up to her friend and put her hand on her arm.  
  
"Don't give me that Ororo. You are in pain."  
  
She stiffened slightly, "I am not-"  
  
"Don't give me that!" Jean cut her off harshly, "you are in pain, Ororo, and you have a right to be. How many times have you said that it is best to let the tears out, to let the grief be washed away? Well take your own advice for once."  
  
Ororo stared at her. Jean spoke to her telepathically.  
  
* Be strong Ororo. It is weaker not to cry. Let your grief run windrider. *  
  
Ororo stared at her, then bowed her head.  
  
"It's all too quick Jean. We are losing this war. When Remy was around, he seemed to make everything right, even though we were parted from the X-men, he was always full of hope and always ready with a pep talk. Sarah was always so innocent. She had killed many, but she wasn't all evil. She had been part of the Morlocks, the twisted mutants that Dark Beast experimented on. Remy had saved her from the culling that Sinister ordered. She was always too brave and cock-sure. Gavin. He had been a young thief who had tried to rob Remy when he was in London once. We caught him, and realized he was a mutant. When Remy left the X-men he came with us. He always thought of him as an elder brother. Now Betsy and I are all that's left Jean. I don't want to lose my brother, Jean, I'm no that strong. I have to hope he's still alive, that Dark Beast or Sinister haven't killed him. Or worse." Her voice cracked and Jean put her arms around Ororo, comforting her as she broke into tears.  
  
x----------------------- -----x  
  
"Never again" He spoke again, in the dark cell. He had made his choice. Never give his heart to anyone, and crush his enemies where they stood. Candra may love him, but she was his enemy. That love gave her and edge over him, but it gave him power over her. He was after all the Ragin Cajun, known for loving his sex, and for being able to charm anyone out of their pants. He smiled softly, eyes glowing in the darkness. Candra was coming, and he was going to make her scream soon, first with pleasure, then with betrayal. He and Candra were good together, and he was going to take her to the top tonight.  
  
The cell door opened, and she walked in, imperious, graceful and beautiful. That wasn't something he could deny. Candra was sexy as sin, and he actually wanted to fuck her, revenge be damned.  
  
"Welcome back mon chere."  
  
Candra was taken aback by the husky note in Remy's voice, as well as the way he looked at her. She spoke after a few seconds.  
  
"You seem in a good mood."  
  
Remy laughed slowly and seductively.  
  
"You maght say dat. Or you c'n call it a dangerous mood. But it sure is a mood Candra, a mood for you." His voice was soft, yet able to be heard. Candra drew forward mesmerized.  
  
"What happened to you?"  
  
Remy smiled softly.  
  
"I saw de light Candra. De X-men, they betrayed me one time too many. If my team is gone, what de hell do I care about dem. Now, let's talk about de present, and what Remy c'n do for you." Candra came closer to him.  
  
"I don't trust this sudden shift in emotion, but I can sense that you're telling me the truth. You don't care about the X-men anymore. wonderful." Her lips curved upwards and she pulled him close and kissed him. Before Remy could respond she broke away.  
  
"Before I get carried away, I'll break you out of those chains." As she spoke locks clicked and the chain suddenly went off to the side, leaving Remy free.  
  
He came forward, but she stopped him.  
  
"Not yet Remy. Let's get you cleaned up first. She walked out and he followed. He had been right. They were in Candra's quarters. She led him to her bathroom, which had a huge sunken bath in it.  
  
"Get in darling; I'm going to give you a bath to remember."  
  
Suddenly all his clothes began coming off him. He was then unceremoniously thrown into the pool. He came out sputtering and turned to see Candra pulling off her clothes. AS he watched she turned to look at him, reveling in his desire. Remy could feel it.  
  
She finally stood nude before him, proudly pulling her shoulders back, making her full large breasts jut outwards. Remy stared at the creamy orbs before him, and went lower, to her navel, something which always aroused him, and lower to her womanhood. Small soft curls, almost transparent blonde, ringing her vagina. As he stared he felt his own erection harden even more. She came forward, sliding into the water and wading over to him. He reached for her and she kissed him full on the mouth, opening her mouth under his tongues relentless assault, entwining them. Her left leg moved to the side and up his side, curving around his hips, in order to get closer. Remy felt his inflamed organ push against her soft stomach and he quivered with desire. He pushed closer, and she pushed back, making them slip and fall back, with Candra on top of him. Remy back pedaled until he was braced against the side of the tub, and continued kissing her. She moaned against his mouth. She suddenly moved up and he felt her opening, and pushed in. She gasped against his mouth and then groaned with pleasure. Remy smiled easily and then let himself be taken over by the moment as old as mankind.  
  
He lay on the bed, spent, Candra lying next to him. They were both tired, but Remy knew he had succeeded. He had made Candra his, completely. Now it was time to see whether he was the true master, or she.  
  
"I will raise you to the rank of my personal bodyguard Remy; I will give you riches beyond your wildest dreams."  
  
Remy smiled, 'I have some pretty wild dreams, you t'ink you can match 'em."  
  
She spoke seriously, "exceed them love, exceed them."  
  
Remy smiled. The perfect place to destroy his enemies. From the inside out.  
  
==============================  
  
Well, Here it was, the Remy (sort of) centric chapter. He's sure changed hasn't he? Well, he should at any rate.  
  
Thanks everyone for reviewing.  
  
Yes, Hot Sizzle, I remember. Not something I can forget.  
  
Heaps of thanks to my most consistent reviewer, Jukebox! Thanks a bunch, you keep me going.  
  
And another thanks to all the new reviewers, NuTTy and Gypsy. Your reviews were amazing. Really contributed to brightening my mood.  
  
Anyway, next chapter: Hmm. next chapter . ah, just read it.  
  
Buh-bye now. 


	4. Tourniquet

Well, this is the next chapter. Not much to it in terms of plot development, just a perspective of all minor support characters. It was necessary I suppose. Sort of a filler in chapter, explaining everything that's been going on other sides.  
  
Thanks to all those who reviewed, and I will take all my fluids, don't worry. There's no way in hell I'm missing out on another chapter.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own X-men, AoA, or any other Marvel character. I do won some Prelates, some Externals and some other OC's. No OC plays a major role however. (Apart from Halfbane and Sammael.)  
  
Feedback: At six_nites@hotmail.com, my home away from home. sort of.  
  
Tourniquet  
  
Essex stood watching the camp get set up. What a stupid excuse for a rebel force. They posed as entertainers, moving across the whole of Apocalypse's empire, attempting to sabotage any of Apocalypse's plans. Small chance in a group this disorganized or small. The leader of this little band was brilliant, but his brilliance was limited to inventions, not tactics of fighting. He was a fairly good fighter, but he was no great leader. His idea's were haphazard and prone to failure against any slightly seasoned opponent. Like himself, or any of his Prelates. He had always considered the Prelates, although the actual head was Sammael under Apocalypse. It had been he who had sowed the seeds of the idea of a Mutant force made up of the strongest of the mutant's they kept with them. Forge would have only made it to rook, or perhaps an Uber-leutnant. Rooks. the special security measure Havok had employed a few years ago, after he became Prelate. They guarded the Elite Mutant Force's headquarters, and each was loyal to Havok. Cyclops had never been trusting of them, as they had all reported directly to Havok. Essex himself had cared not one way or another. If anything it increased their enmity, and Scott's survival instincts. Scott had gotten too good at those. Essex had been surprised when he broke free of his constraints and destroyed much of his laboratory 1.  
  
"Hey Essex, what're you doing here all by your lonesome. We could use a hand down there."  
  
Essex turned. He found it irritating to keep himself in this form, especially when his own normal one was so much more comfortable. However he realized the necessity. The boy was not yet powerful enough that he would be able to detect Essex, and he needed to be here to watch over him. However even the company here was irritating. Apart from Forge they were all foolishly stupid. Toad pretended to be a gentleman, Mastermind tried to come of as being more than he was, yet was shackled by self doubt. Brute was just stupid, a brainless git with not enough brainpower to do simple addition of the numbers one to nine. Soaran was a throwback to the Mesozoic era, with his pterodactyl like form. His caustic remarks and attempt at dry wit was beginning to irritate Essex more than anything else. He was constantly attempting to pick fights. First it was the boy, now him. The girl Sonique. A rare beauty, with powers much like Banshee. Also completely in love with Nate Grey, although he had taken care of that with a little low level telepathy.  
  
Which of course brought him to the last member, and the reason he was here. His creation, made using the genes of Scott Summers, the man he considered a son, and Jean Grey, potentially the most powerful telepath in the world. Their genes had the potent mixture, to create a mutant with near limitless power, unhampered. Of course, controlling the energy of that power was going to be difficult and would probably kill Nate Grey before he reached maturity, but Essex needed a brash and impulsive boy. One he could readily control. He had done so with his father for years.  
  
"I am coming Soaran. Do not hurt yourself on your way down." He implanted a telepathic suggestion for Soaran to halt his wings beating and glide downward, nose first. He also implanted the suggestion that he forget about both suggestions. It was necessary to maintain his cover, but he would not take any insult readily. Soaran squawked as he found himself plummeting downward. Essex walked on, not caring in the least.  
  
"Hello Essex." Forge stopped on his way, presumably to engage in idle chit- chat, and probably find out more about him. He really should be more subtle. He of course had no idea that Essex was the same man who had contacted him a week ago to take in the boy. Nate had soon grown friendly with everyone, and it didn't take long for Essex to figure out that Forge saw himself as a mentor and father figure to the boy. He would have to take care of that.  
  
For now though, he would let things be, and train Nate surreptiously, as well as poison his mind against Apocalypse completely. Then his weapon would be brought to the forefront, where he would use him to weaken Apocalypse and his allies, before he could strike himself. His fellow Externals should be ready by then and awaiting his attack command. He didn't believe that Nate would be able to take on Apocalypse and win. He was by no means experienced enough, and perhaps not even he was powerful enough.  
  
These horsemen troubled Essex. They were powerful, very much so, and they were completely under Apocalypse's control. They had caused him to restructure his plans. However the one person who had most fouled up his plans was Remy Lebeau. He had unlocked his potential, and he had gone and freed what could have been their savior, before Nate Grey could completely grow up. AS it was they had a hormonal teenager, with power enough to destroy a continent running around. It had forced Essex to pretend to die and leave the Tower. However all was not lost. He still had time to train the boy. He would let him find out about the world, and then kill this little band and train Nate Grey completely, in order that he fight against Apocalypse, and help him in securing all of Apocalypse's celestial technology. With that he could dictate how to better this world, using the technology to breed an invincible horde, strengthening this world.  
  
x-------------------- ---x  
  
Apocalypse stared at the reports in front of him. All was going as planned. Holocaust was nearly ready to start the culling of the west coast, obliterating all human life. The Human High Council would react, and Apocalypse would be waiting for them. Death and the Reavers would strike from behind, while Apocalypse and his armies from the front, squashing them in the middle. Nothing would be able to stand against them, nothing at all. As for the remaining X-men. When he had dealt with the Council, he would hunt them down like the dogs they were and kill them all.  
  
"Master, Rasputin wishes to speak with you."  
  
Apocalypse turned to his centuries old ally, perhaps even older than Sinister. He had created him from the same piece of celestial technology he had used to create Sinister.  
  
The perfect mutate battery, capable of storing energy that powered a dozen mutants and feeding it into others, or using it for himself. A powerful ally, and useful for what had been his once main plan, to use the powers of twelve mutants to ascend to higher plane, as strong, or even stronger than the celestials, power enough to rival that of Galactus. However, the Hellfire Club and the insane power levels that had appeared when Magneto and Xavier joined the fight had forced him to reconsider. Shaman and Halfbane had nearly destroyed all his plans. The Harbinger had been destroyed before he could awaken. The Externals, except these few who were his allies, broke their agreement of never interfering with him. Now he was master of the world, and it was better off without Human's. Mutants already grew powerful.  
  
"Put him on the monitor."  
  
Other worries plagued him. The Arch-Prelate, Deathbird, she was not a mutant. She wasn't even an enhanced human. In fact she was suspiciously like the Shi'ar he had found out about through the usage of the celestial's technology. However he had no idea what a Shi'ar was doing in this world. She seemed loyal enough, and wasn't powerful enough to be threat to him. Not alone at any rate.  
  
"Master." The face and shoulders of Mikhai9l Rasputin came on the screen. Ah Mikhail. What a powerful ally, able to use his powers in ways much like Rumik, to distort space. However he could also transport and open portals to other universe's, and dimensions. His face had changed over the years, becoming more metallic, and he had added more armor to himself. A good thing, considering his main enemy was his brother Colossus, who was nearly as strong as Apocalypse was. They had fought again, a fight nothing like their first bitter one. In that Colossus had nearly broken Mikhail entire face, which was why he wore facial implants.  
  
"What is it Rasputin?"  
  
"Master, the Sea Wall is in position for any attack. The Human's will be obliterated if the try to cross it."  
  
Apocalypse nearly smiled. It showed how useless Rasputin was when it came to tactics. No the Sea Wall's were not enough to stop the Human's. Lately they had managed to design ships that would cross them with fair ease. No, he would use the Sea Walls for another matter.  
  
"No Rasputin, they will not. In fact, they only serve as a first line of defense. No, the only thing the Sea Walls will be used for is to destroy the human's. Once they attack full force, I will expand the Sea Wall."  
  
Rasputin's face blanched, or something akin to it.  
  
"Master, that would kill all life across Eurasia!"  
  
Apocalypse smiled chillingly.  
  
"Yes."  
  
x-----------------x  
  
Alex stood in the centre of the security room. His domain. It had always been his domain. Even back in the days of the Citadel, when he had been young child, being raised by Sinister, he had always liked the security room. As a Prelate he had been second in command after Cyclops, and head of the Elite Mutant Force's quarters. However, Cyclops had never trusted him with too much power, and he had always been Sinister's favorite. He scowled. Finally he turned to Sam Guthrie. The young Rook had been delayed his promotion to Prelate for a long time. At first by Cyclops, and now because there were more than enough prelates. One thing Havok truly regretted about the battle at Muir Isle had been not finding Cyclops. He badly wanted to face his brother in combat, to kill him finally. Sam had never been an Uber-leutnant. Havok had made sure that his chosen few allies were never put under direct control of Cyclops or anyone else. The Rooks were his special force, loyal to him. They ran the security of the EMF building, as well as Sinister's and Dark Beast's pens. Alex moved towards him. Even now as High Prelate he didn't like sharing power, and he had to do so with Deathbird, the so called Arch-Prelate. A beautiful woman, or maybe not. Alex was never sure what exactly she was. However for now, he had things to do, places to be.  
  
"Sam."  
  
The young man turned. Sam was a powerful ally, able to propel himself with enough force to shatter a building, as well as generate a force field that even his power had difficulty breaking through.  
  
"Make sure Lorna is busy." Sam nodded immediately. Havok sighed. It wasn't Lorna's fault, but he had to go. For a long time he had been attracted to the dancer at the only neutral ground in the whole of Apocalypse's empire. It was an underground club, open to both mutants and humans. Havok had never liked that too much, until he had met Scarlet. Then he himself had blatantly begun to break one of Apocalypse's strictest rules. Apocalypse had banned mating with flatscans. Havok had been too filled with desire to continue ignoring that rule. He had thought, just this once? However that had changed. He had not seen her for nearly a week, and his loins flared to life at the thought of her. He loved Lorna, but he could do things with Scarlet that he couldn't with Lorna, not with any degree of success anyway. Scarlet was a very vigorous person, and their sex life was excellent. He didn't love her, at least he thought he didn't, but he couldn't get enough of her.  
  
He walked out of the security complex and began to head for his bike. The club was located a little over half an hours drive from the tower. Close, but Alex had made certain, along with many others that the Club remained unnoticed. Of all the high rank people, he figured only a couple knew of its existence. It was run by some shady mutants and humans, trying to make a living here. It was also an excellent place to find information on rebel groups. Scott had used this place frequently, though he never seemed to make use of the entertainment facilities available. Sometimes Alex thought that Scott was a robot, although the rebel Jean Grey had certainly proven him wrong. Surprising thing to see, both brothers had a taste for redheads.  
  
Havok parked the bike outside the club. He was fairly certain he would not be needed right now, and he always had his communicator if necessary.  
  
"Alex!" He turned to see Karma. Karma was the manager of New Haven.  
  
"It's been while Prelate, I suppose I should congratulate you on your promotion. Never expected that Scott would turn. Ah well, who cares, at least you got a promotion instead. Scarlet's waiting. She's been lonely without you."  
  
Alex nodded. Although he liked Karma, he suspected that Karma was a Human High Council spy. Pity.  
  
He walked into the back, and into Scarlet's quarters. When he first saw them Havok had been impressed by her plush apartments. Apparently they had been favors of her previous lovers, and Alex had made it clear he disliked the fact she had other lovers. He had arranged with Karma till only he was her lover. As soon as he saw her his blood rushed to his groin. She sat up in surprise at the intrusion, but her eyes brightened at his appearance. For long now he had been not only sleeping with her, but actually trusting her, and using her as a sounding board for all his hopes and dreams. In a perfect world she would be a mutant, but the world wasn't perfect. She got on her knees on the bed, and he rushed forward into her embrace, hearing the lock click shut behind him. His mouth hungrily fastened on hers, and his tongue dueled with her. He shuddered with joy and passion, and knelt to kiss her neck. Here was where he felt complete.  
  
x--------------------------- -----x  
  
Dark Beast walked towards one of the remaining machines in the new laboratory's Apocalypse had given him. McCoy was troubled. He had long been Apocalypse's most trusted ally, or close enough as to make no difference. His dark master had given him a great task in commanding him to build the future. His Infinites had made Apocalypse's power near complete. While Sinister had originally begun the construction of the gene pool, and all it entailed, it was McCoy who had first realized the uses it may be placed to other than to create perfect life. That had been Sinister's earliest desire, to create life. With the destruction of the Citadel, McCoy had despaired of ever getting another gene pool. However the one built here was even better than the original. Instead of him having to manually operate it, this one was far more automated. Sinister had taken no interest in this, being more concerned at the time with his two sons, and creating another Brain Trust. This one too was composed of the same sort of telepathic minds; however it was far more protected. It was surrounded by adamantium armor, and guarded by a hundred Infinites as well as in built defenses. Only the chips he had developed and placed in each person allowed access to that area was what kept anyone, including himself from feeling the brunt of the Brain Trust. As it was he only felt a mild buzzing, almost pleasant, and completely familiar now. He depressed a lever, watching the screaming human fall into the pool. If his genes were of the correct type, he may be used to create another perfect specimen. If not, he could just as easily be used for Infinite processing.  
  
Sinister had never liked his work with the Infinites, finding that the Infinites were below his preferred level for gene experimentation. Therefore, whatever was to be scrapped was used in making Infinites. McCoy found it quite funny that every human foe they felled was a potential Infinite. Of course, some destruction was too complete for even him to salvage anything from. However he had pleased Apocalypse immensely with the potential for added firepower the Infinites brought. He had ordered the construction of several death camps and Infinite processing plants. McCoy had been ordered to see to each. He also was privy to one of Apocalypse's secrets. Apocalypse needed to recharge his power from time to time, and the death camps were also built to provide him with that. Apocalypse could feed on life-energy. Not as naturally as Exodus, but close enough. He could absorb mutant energy if necessary, but only if at full power. As far as McCoy could be certain Apocalypse had drained at least a million humans already. His only concern was for the gene material lost of course.  
  
Each Death camp was built to house two chambers. One for Apocalypse, and another for Infinites, the latter being sent to a nearby processing plant via teleportation equipment. AS far as McCoy knew the only place that was more suited to his energy leeching was his statue. It had bodies of several thousand humans stored underneath it, each routed to channel energy into him. His single most powerful source of energy. McCoy was also fairly certain only he and Sinister knew, and perhaps Holocaust. McCoy wasn't sure what to make of Holocaust. Apocalypse had never seemed to be the proud father sort, and McCoy was never quite sure exactly how Apocalypse had sired a son. Apocalypse had never told him, and he had never asked. However, now Apocalypse had made holocaust his most trusted second, as well as placing him in charge of all the others. Rasputin, Exodus, Sammael and Candra hadn't been too pleased. McCoy was never quite sure of Apocalypse's motivations. Then again. Holocaust was very powerful, extremely so. He had single handedly destroyed an entire city once. A brutal show of power. His loss of a flesh and blood body at Wundagore was of small consequence. The new body that Sinister had designed for him, a containment suit rather, had been enough. The corporeal energies that made up what was left of him had been kept inside the suit easily, and he had seemed even more powerful for it. It seemed he generated his own energy, never seeming to need replenishing, and never losing any of the life energy that was him. McCoy was sure he must have a source. Perhaps it was like the Summers, obtained from the sun or atmosphere.  
  
McCoy put it out of his mind. The gene pool was done melting the body of the human down to only genetic material. He quickly scanned a monitor and made a note of the gene code. Using the celestial technology granted him, he began to separate the genes that would be useful, while tucking the others away to be used later or for Infinite processing.  
  
x--------------------- x  
  
Moira Trask walked with steady determination to the hallway at the end of the block. Her step hardly faltered and she was proud of that. It seemed things had just gone to hell in the matter of a few short weeks. First had been the interminable waiting while Xavier was hunted down across America. Then the shattering blow that came with his death. Moira had kept back her grief, so that the others would take her as an example and be brave and strong. For long she had been the mother of the little group of X-men. Erik had taken on his friend's role, and he had been masterful at it, managing to launch one of the most successful attacks on the Tower ever. However, the loss of human life compared with the loss of X-men and Apocalypse's forces had turned the others in the Human High Council away from the X-men. Moira had long been one of the only few on the Human High Council willing to trust the X-men. Her husband had never trusted them, and while he had been alive an alliance with the X-men would have been next to impossible. However even Moira had lately felt that the X-men were falling apart. First had been the pardoning of a man that should have been killed on sight, the High Prelate Cyclops. Then had been the break up of the team into two factions. The final crippling blow had been the loss of Muir Isle. The news had just reached Moira from a hidden frequency that she recognized as one Erik used. The message had been short and simple. Muir Isle was lost, some survivors. A short message that had been enough to make her lose her composure.  
  
She opened the doors to the council hall, using one of ten passkeys made.  
  
She wasn't surprised to see the hall filled with council members. Only a few weren't here. Many councilors had their aides with them. Moira knew she would face heavy opposition for her plan, but she intended to go through with it.  
  
She went and sat down next to her long time friend Susan Storm. Moira had helped Susan get over the pain of losing her long time boyfriend Reed Richards, although it had taken his best friend, Dr. Victor von Doom to finally do that. Susan gently touched her arm, and Moira smiled at her. The woman was younger than she, although not by too much. Her brother suddenly came running up and sat down to Moira's left.  
  
"Hey Mo, how're ya doing?" Jonathan Storm, known to his friends as Jonny, was constantly on the move. He was one of the members only because of his rarely displayed talent for seriousness and calmness when everyone else seemed on the verge of panic. Even his brother-in-law to be, Victor had never perfected that. His exuberance also filled the Council with some light heartedness in times of darkness. He amused Moira no end.  
  
However right now, she couldn't find the strength to laugh at his joke.  
  
"May I call this meeting to order?"  
  
Moira looked up at Brian Braddock with some distaste. She had respected the man before, however nowadays he just seemed pompous and arrogant. He had taken over the presiding of the Council in conjunction with her since the death of Trask, but recently he had become almost a different man. At his side stood his aide, a man named Connor. He had arrived recently, and was a thin bony man, with heavy eyebrows and a sickly jaw. He was always smiling unpleasantly and this time was no different. He seemed to take great delight out of riling up the Council. Moira had her eye on him. Brian had changed after he took up being advised by him. She turned to see her own attendant Beatrix coming forward, hurriedly fixing her skirt, her full lips slightly fuller than normal. Her hair was slightly rumpled, but it never seemed to stay put. On her it still seemed sexy. It had irritated Moira no end. Recently Beatrix had seemed to realize that she was not getting any younger and had taken to dating every man she could. Moira didn't mind, as long as it didn't distract Beatrix from her duties too much. The woman had been Moira's assistant for a few years now. Behind her came Susan's assistant, a young blonde woman named Debra Levin. The woman had a cute Russian accent. She had also arrived recently. She was also somewhat of a bodyguard for Susan. Moira turned back and noticed most of the men, and some of the women as well watching Beatrix as she sat. Only a few glanced at Debra Levin, and that too on point of danger. Debra didn't like people watching her. Other assistants came in quickly.  
  
Finally the hall was filled. Moira glanced at Brian as he began one of his speeches. Lately they had become more anti-mutant than normal. She sneered lightly and looked to the side to see Mariko Yoshida giving her a sardonic grin. Mariko was a woman Moira had never gotten along with. She was an enigmatic woman, who knew a lot about mutants, and would always be surprising in what she did. She wasn't a sensationalist, no Moira was sure that Mariko had some plan in mind.  
  
However Moira knew better than to try and second guess the woman. Mariko wanted to be friendly today... alright, Moira could be friendly.  
  
Suddenly the shift in Brian's speech caused her to look up.  
  
". Mutants have become a bigger threat than ever before. We don't even have the X-men to 'rely' upon anymore. I have confirmed reports that Muir Isle has been destroyed. This means that many of the innocent children at what the X-men claimed was the safest spot in the world have been killed. The survivors are unknown, but we know that the X-men escaped, while humans did not. Whether this was an act of mutant's under Apocalypse, or the X-men themselves is unknown, but reports indicate that Apocalypse may have been involved. In my opinion we should destroy Apocalypse while we still can!"  
  
Moira stood angrily, her face flushed.  
  
"Brian are you insane! You no nothing of the attack on Muir Isle. I am the only one to have received reports about it. It is already being declared a potential dead zone. The area has become poisonously radioactive a little over twelve hours after it's destruction! I know the X-men, and they have helped us in the past! Muir Isle was destroyed by Apocalypse, and the X-men lost some of their number trying to protect them. Most survived and no children were killed. I can swear this to you."  
  
Brian also stood up, his own face getting angrier.  
  
"My reports confirm death of over a hundred children and infants. As for the X-men's loyalties, hah! That is nonsense."  
  
Moira leaned close to him. She hoped she would not have to play her trump card.  
  
"Betsy is alive as well Brian."  
  
She said it softly, enough to ensure that no one else heard. Brian's assistant was leaning forward though she doubted he heard. She also caught Debra Levin leaning forward a bit, but she straightened a bit as well, and Moira realized she was just straightening her self in the chair. She was too suspicious these days.  
  
Brian however heard her words. He was a politically motivated man these days, and he also knew what the effect of knowing that his sister was a mutant would do to the others. Very likely he would be voted off the council, under suspicion for being a mutant himself.  
  
"I'm sorry." Moira was, she hated pulling that sort of stunt, but it became necessary sometimes. The rest of the meeting went fairly well, but Moira could see that other hardliners were getting worked up. None was powerful enough to move alone against her but with Brian they could easily. At least she had just guaranteed that from happening.  
  
Moira walked out of her office and stared at her assistant flirting with Jonathan Storm. She was fairly certain that the two were secretly seeing each other, and the clandestine behavior bothered her. Beatrix had changed a lot recently, and Moira wondered at the change. She had caught them one day, in wild abandon in the closet. She had dryly reprimanded them, and then offered her couch in the office while she went out for lunch. She left before they could say another word. In truth Jonny and Beatrix were two of her favorite people, and she felt that their sleeping on the couch would be a good thing. If they didn't get together at least they would be apart. She hated it when she had to pretend not to notice affairs going on around her.  
  
Moira walked into a lavatory and sat down after pulling down her skirt. She thought it was a waste of time, but it was necessary to purge oneself of bad habits before trying to purge an entire community. Someone was interfering. She had suspected that it was one of Apocalypse's spies, but too many events were going on, and many completely opposite to what Apocalypse would want. Unless this was some crazy plan. Moira didn't know, but something was wrong in this city, and it had to be stopped soon. She wondered if she should contact the X-men at this point, then finally decided not to. They had enough problems for the moment.  
  
x----------- -------x  
  
In a small island off the west coast of Italy, the remaining Externals under Nidlen Halfbane met.  
  
Asmodeus found that as always he was one of the first to arrive. It was irritating, especially when one considered that they were perhaps one of the most powerful groups on this world. Even then the others would be late. Of late Halfbane had taken to brooding almost endlessly in his own quarters. Asmodeus had at first respected the man, but now he was beginning to see that like his brother he was half insane, and drunk with power. However, also like his brother, he was cunning and shrewd. Due to him they had finally managed to escape Sammael, and Asmodeus always remembered that Halfbane had a private army, doing his every bidding. Gilgamesh, once his greatest rival, was now perhaps his closest confidant. They still didn't like each other, inborn hatred's were difficult to get over, however they were both logical men, and knew when they would need to work together. Astaroth and Behamen would be of no use there. Astaroth was completely Halfbane's man. Even back when they had begun pulling the strings of the Hellfire, Astaroth had been more content to let others do the thinking, and carry out his part in any plan. A loyal soldier; that would sum up Astaroth. Behamen however was a different matter, although no less useless. Of late she had taken to sleeping with every single young man on this island to catch her fancy, and if Asmodeus's suspicions were correct, some of the women as well. Not that he had anything against miscegenation, or sleeping with one's own gender, but Behamen took it to something beyond even an art form. In the last week he had counted over a hundred times when Behamen had been with a partner. Her sheer stamina was to be wondered at as well.  
  
However the main reasoning behind Behamen's unreliability was that she was flighty and also knew where the power lay. Asmodeus was sure that if Behamen could get proof of their alliance and half hearted plans, she would betray them. Asmodeus wished again Galaire had not died. Of course, Halfbane had not called a meeting since he had told them of her death as well as battle against one of Apocalypse's horsemen. He had too many spies Asmodeus knew.  
  
The door opened and Astaroth entered then, moving almost lethargically. It was an appearance well cultivated. Astaroth was as graceful as the best of them when he wished. Behind him came Behamen, once again her face flushed and her hair slightly mussed. Asmodeus sneered slightly. The way she looked, one would suspect that she was coming from a torrid assignation. Asmodeus knew better. Even she would not be foolish enough to forget a meeting. It was another thing about her that bore watching. Perhaps she was not as hormonal as she seemed to be.  
  
Gilgamesh appeared a few seconds before Halfbane, appearing out of a dark corner and sliding into his seat. Asmodeus still marveled at that power. He was a true master of the shadows.  
  
"Rise!" Halfbane came in with great pomp and show, with a clashing of a huge gong with another, and a little drum roll. Asmodeus started at that. What on earth was he coming in with a drum roll for?  
  
They stood however. Halfbane was one to require such little displays of his power over them. Failure to do so meant punishment. Asmodeus cared little. He had not minded before, and he did not mind now.  
  
"I have thought it over a great deal my compatriots. Galaire's betrayal will not go unpunished. Her death shall not save her from my wrath. However that is all of no importance. With what we know now, it is apparent that Apocalypse has sent the X-men running, and the horsemen prey upon this world, at his bidding. We must be wary now, as these are no common soldiers. In fact, they are possibly stronger than some of us. However, Apocalypse has erred in some ways. He has not given us enough importance, and now we shall disabuse him of his thinking. We are the biggest thorn in his side, and we shall bring him down. I have set a plan into motion already, and Apocalypse will fall. Destiny is of no importance, although her presence would have been a blow to the enemies morale. The best place to start our assault will of course be at the Sea Wall itself. There we shall take apart his security network, and cause his ruin. We shall rule the world."  
  
He bent forward and Asmodeus listened as he spoke, nodding at some parts he thought were sound, while actually thinking inside as to how stupid and blind this endeavor was. The Sea Wall was almost impossible to take down, it would kill them before they got within a hundred feet. Unless Halfbane had some other plan in mind as well.  
  
==============================  
  
Well, that's it then.  
  
Oh yeah, and if anyone notices that some elements of the original AoA pop up now and then, it's because I probably read a comic which I hadn't, and learnt something new that I liked and decided to fit into the story. But Scarlet was planned to come in about here anyway.  
  
Anyway, next chapter things begin shaping up for the final conflict. Which is about three chapters long. Plus, the chapters are loonngg.  
  
Bye now. 


	5. Taking Over Me

Yes.. Well. Here's the next chapter. I can't promise how fast I'm going to update, since my muse seems to have gone off on a holiday, leaving me with two and a half chapters still left to write, plus an Epilogue. I know how it's going to end; I just have to get there.  
  
Anyway, the last four chapters are going to be long, no doubt there. So just wait a little bit. I should be done in a month (hopefully). The good thing is, some of my other fics are going well. I'll probably begin posting three next week.  
  
Two are Ultimate-verse, one follows comic canon (to a point). There's another, but that's a Warcraft fic.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men, and unless I ruthlessly use my business skills and one day buy into marvel, or just take it over outright, I probably won't own them.  
  
Feedback: this is what every writer dreams of. The reward for our labor. As cool as chocolate. As cool as.. Okay. Six_nites@hotmail.com  
  
And here's next chapter. I'm pulling a Robert Jordan and not really adding anything to story here. Well, not much.  
  
Taking Over Me  
  
Weeks passed, and turned to months, and the X-men just sat in their new base. They were recuperating, but nothing seemed viable. Apocalypse had barricaded his empire, moving the Sea Wall till it was closer than before, each massive structure only a few miles from the other, spaced out so around his empire. The Human High Council and his forces had engaged in minor skirmishes, but nothing worse, not yet. It was six months after the assault on the tower, and five months after the attack on Muir Isle. In that time, Scott had become more known to the X-men, and many now trusted him, although some were still reserved about him. He and Jean shared quarters, and some attempts were made to return to Muir Isle. However it was so toxic now that anything salvageable was impossible to get to. Magneto had taken to sequestering Scott for long periods, finding out about Apocalypse and his forces. Scott had intimate knowledge of that, as well as the Processing plants, and other important structures. The main thing was that Scott knew about the defenses of the empire of Apocalypse. Magneto was also impressed by his tactical abilities. Jean was beginning to understand what Xavier had meant when he had recommended Scott for an X-man. However, Scott still refused to take on the moniker himself, preferring to be an ally of theirs.  
  
Magneto was very interested in hearing about Karma, and The Haven.  
  
There were other changes. Sunfire and Blink had become X-men, while Blink continued to surprise others with her skillful usage of her powers in conjunction with her training. Sabretooth had gone from being wary around his apprentice, to being outright fond of her. Seeing them Scott was reminded of himself with his mentor, although Sinister had been even less emotional than Sabretooth. As usual the thought of him led to different emotions arising in Scott. Anger over how he was treated, followed by guilt at betraying the man he thought of as a father, and fondness over past memories.  
  
The other X-men had also changed in their attitudes towards him. Iceman and Angel remained suspicious of him, although they would talk to him. Of all of them Jean trusted him the most, although she didn't count. After Jean, the ones who he felt were his true allies here were Logan, Shiro, Victor, Betsy, Kitty, Kurt as well as Peter, although that was because of Kitty and Kurt mostly, and not something that Scott had done to inspire confidence. Rogue trusted him, but these days she was too busy, her figure having ballooned recently from her pregnancy. Magneto had changed then, being concerned at some times, and then switching to being calm, and then being nervous, especially around her. Scott had a good laugh at those times, although he never let it show.  
  
Ororo, Pietro and Wanda trusted him more than Warren or Bobby, but not too much more. They were mostly giving him the benefit of the doubt. Scott did not really care. For him there were a few things left in this world. He had to stop Apocalypse, punish Sinister, and survive. But above all he had to care for Jean. She had replaced what was most important in his life. For her he would give up anything. Including his soul. All she had to do was ask.  
  
At that point Scott was interrupted by Bobby.  
  
"Hey, Cyclops. Erik wants us all to meet in the meeting room; I think he's finally getting around to pulling together a strategy."  
  
Scott wasn't the only one who had been chafing at the indecision and stationary-ness of the X-men. Even though he and bobby didn't get along, the boy had been like minded at their staying put for so long. Scott nodded in reply and began to follow after him, making no attempt at conversation.  
  
They followed the long winding path to the heart of the mostly underground base. It was there that Magneto used his powers to keep them safe, making hourly checks with Storm to ensure that the storm didn't disrupt the shields keeping them safe from the brunt. It was near suicidal, but Scott had to admit the necessity of staying put for a while, at first anyway. Now it was stupid to stay put. Apocalypse would not be idle while they sat. He would be attempting to search them out, and kill them once and for all.  
  
Scott had no wish to fight in a protracted battle in Wundagore. It was for all intents and purposes a broken mountain, but they couldn't stay here forever.  
  
The Hybrid was big enough to ensure safe flight anyway, and had a sophisticated enough stealth mechanism to ensure that only the most advanced of Apocalypse's celestial machines would detect them.  
  
Scott entered the meeting room. Most of the X-men were there, including Jean, talking quietly to Ororo. Jean smiled at him from across the room, but Ororo looked at him slightly sternly. She didn't really trust him. She had reason he supposed, having lost nearly her entire team at one go, and knowing that at some level Scott was partially responsible for the events that took place. It was his information, gathered painstakingly over the years that allowed the horsemen to find Muir Isle.  
  
Erik entered then, tall and strong in his uniform, with Rogue at his side. The woman had become more ungainly and her mood swings were vicious and like April showers; coming and going with great speed.  
  
"After much thought, I have finally decided upon a plan. I asked you all two months ago to be patient. Well, your time is now rewarded. X-men, tomorrow we go to war."  
  
Well, Scott thought sardonically, that was one hell of a way to begin a debriefing. The X-men sat silent for a moment, then they all broke out, demanding to know what Magnus meant.  
  
Erik raised his hands.  
  
"Please, a few moments more of patience my friends. My plans have been in motion for a while, however there are two reasons why I have decided that now is the time to begin action. The first is because of Apocalypse. he has begun the expansion of the sea wall into Eurasian territory. In a week the Sea Wall will have reached London."  
  
The X-men stared aghast. Even Scott felt sick. The Sea Walls were programmed to annihilate anything non-mutant. Once a batch of new infinites had gone to one of the towering rigs, and had been destroyed in seconds, only because Alex had forgotten to send out a message to upgrade the Sea Walls defense parameters. God knew how many resources had gone to waste then. However, Scott kept a close watch on Erik. He was not done yet.  
  
"Yes, I know this is disturbing and distressing news. However it gets worse. Apparently Moira has been keeping some potentially vital information from me. Something has been radically changing the atmosphere of the High Council. People Moira trusted have begun to act suspiciously, and she even overheard someone talking of plans to destroy the High Council from the inside. That is why she finally decided to tell us this. Apparently there has even been suspicion rising in the streets. Some sort of low key, mass brain-manipulation is going on. Not enough to be immediately suspect, but enough that some people are getting worried. I don't know why, but I'm this has Apocalypse written all over it. Cyclops, information you can give us to shed some light on this?"  
  
Scott stood for a minute, thinking over everything he knew about the arsenal at Apocalypse's beck and call. There was nothing he could think of, unless Sinister had created some new weapon, or Apocalypse had unleashed a hitherto unheard of weapon.  
  
"No. I can't think of any weapon of Apocalypses that could do this, unless Sinister's created some new weapon, or Apocalypse has pulled one out of his bag of celestial tricks."  
  
Erik nodded at him. Rogue adjusted herself for the tenth time in her chair. She was having trouble getting comfortable. Scott knew that, since he had noticed her showing signs of being uncomfortable, as well as Jean telling him that rogue was carrying her child almost completely in front. Scott had not been sure of what that signified until he considered the physics of that. Rogue's back must be killing her.  
  
"Well, whatever it is, I've finalized the teams. yes, teams, since the X- men must be split up. Half will lead the assault on Apocalypses empire, while the other half, inevitably the smaller half, will tackle the problem the Humans are having. Logan, I want you in command of the human problem. I'm assigning Psylocke, Rumik, Shadowcat, Sunfire and Piotr to you. Since you'll have to remain mostly inconspicuous this team will blend in very nicely, apart from Sunfire, who'll provide reconnaissance. The team I'm taking with me will be the rest of you."  
  
Erik turned and walked to the map on the screen at one end of the room.  
  
He pointed to London, west of their region.  
  
"Logan, you'll have two days to get to London. Once there, find out what's happening fast. Moira will be heading near here tomorrow, at the old observation tower."  
  
Logan nodded.  
  
"The rest of us will also be split further. This may seem like a suicide mission, but I'm afraid it has to be tried. I'll need a team assaulting the Sea Wall control. In a week it will destroy all life in Eurasia. We can't have that. However, since I can't dictate who'll be going with me, I'll need volunteers."  
  
Rogue looked up.  
  
"You? With you??? You mean you'll be leading the team into the Sea Wall?"  
  
Erik looked at her sorrowfully.  
  
"Yes, dear. I'm afraid I can't allow anyone to attempt this on their own. This is something I must do."  
  
Scott looked at Rogue, and felt something he had not felt in a long time. Compassion for some one. He knew what he had to do.  
  
"No Magnus. you don't have to go to the Sea Wall. I'll go. I know the Sea Wall better than you. Even if they have upgraded its defenses, they can't have changed it much from before. No, Magnus, I think you should go with your other X-men, I'll handle the Sea Wall."  
  
Erik looked at him in consternation, " I can't let you do that Cyclops. I'm the leader of the X-men, it's my responsibility."  
  
Scott smiled tightly, "you're responsibility is to your wife as well. You'll do as well in America as in the Sea Wall, or didn't you know that the Sea Wall, hell all of our defense systems were designed to give you priority. Only Weapon X got close to you in terms of priority. You come within a hundred feet of the Sea Wall and all of its defenses will be after you. No, I think this mission will fail if you're there."  
  
Erik stood watching him for a while. Finally Logan turned to Erik, "I agree with him."  
  
Angel nodded, as did Sabretooth.  
  
"I'll go with him." Jean stood next to Scott.  
  
"I'll need at most three other people. More than that will set off the Sea Wall defenses faster than we can handle them."  
  
Angel walked up and stood next to him, "I hate the Sea Walls, always have. I'll go with you."  
  
Ororo walked up to him.  
  
"I too shall accompany you. My powers would serve well in open water."  
  
Finally Nightcrawler walked up.  
  
"I do not relish this, mein freunds, but I too will probably do well in ze Sea Wall. My teleportation powers will prove useful, I am thinking."  
  
Erik nodded.  
  
"It's settled then. The rest of us will go to America. let's get prepared."  
  
Erik left the room, Rogue next to him, talking softly.  
  
Scott stood there, contemplating what the hell he had just done. Paved the way for his own death he supposed. Damn. Jean going along wasn't part of the plan. Still, after six months in Jean's company he knew her well enough not to argue. She wanted to do this. He also knew she was just waiting for him to refuse her, in which case she would argue and prove to him that she was correct, which she was Scott admitted to himself. He looked form the corner of his eye at Logan, who raised one brow, then looked warningly at him. Scott knew exactly what Logan meant. Look after Jean. He nodded slightly. Logan nodded back.  
  
x--------------------x  
  
Apocalypse gazed at his reflection in the mirror. After all these years, all his power. all his strength. his almighty will. would they truly shape the world as he planned? He saw nothing of the little humanity that had once been in him. That man. if he could have veer been called that, was long dead, replaced by one far stronger, and far more dangerous. Nur, they had called him. the first one, born to a tribe of warlike nomads. He had been raised by Baal; a hard and cruel man, who had taught Nur the one thing that had stayed constant in all his life. 'Survival of the Fittest.' Apocalypse smiled slightly. Indeed, it was time to separate the wolves from the sheep. This world must have its strength, to be ruled by the strong. That was life. And at the moment he was the strongest. Apocalypse was not fool enough to imagine he would always be the strongest. There had been Selene, and his horsemen were powerful enough to hurt him grievously if they tried. And of course there was always Magnus. Perhaps his most worthy adversary. Only one individual had ever managed to do as much damage to him as Magnus, and that had been Halfbane. At least he was dead. His brother Sammael had proved useful in that regard. However, the foolish external had begun to reveal the faintest glimmerings of his plot to Apocalypse, and for him that was enough.  
  
He turned as he heard booted feet behind him.  
  
"  
  
Milord." War bowed briskly. Apocalypse was privately amused at the change in her. Selene had been so languorously feline, so slowly sensuous. War was as beautiful as she had once been, if not more so, but gone was the seductive heat of her voice. Instead she had become almost completely the opposite of what she had once been. Now instead of stretching out anything, she was more likely to say or do what she wanted with quick efficiency, not wasting any time. Apocalypse smiled as he saw his marvel, for she was his, as wholly and completely as his other horsemen. Which was how he intended to finish off all his adversaries in the long run. Not all though. not all. After all, to remain strong, there must be some who are weak.  
  
x------------------- -x  
  
Nate sat by the edge of the river, counting how many fish passed by. It was a dismal thing to do, he reflected, since he had managed to count five fish in an hour. And one of them had been dying, he was sure of that. Apocalypse had destroyed this planet, butchering countless millions, all in order to pursue his doctrine of survival of the fittest. Nate glowered at the riverbed in anger. Who the hell was Apocalypse to mess up this world? Thanks to him, Nate's existence was one of misery and hopelessness. Nate didn't ponder long though on the fact that if it hadn't been for Apocalypse he would not be alive. His brain wasn't really up to that task as yet. He heard soft footsteps behind him and turned to see Teresa standing there.  
  
"Hey, I didn't disturb you did I?"  
  
Nate shook his head, trying to move his eyes from Teresa's chest. Lately he had been getting more and more flustered around her. He hated the uncertainty he felt when she was around. He had no idea how to deal with girls, especially those who were close to his age.  
  
"No, it's okay. It was a stupid thing to do anyway."  
  
Teresa put her hands on her hips, his eyes following the movement and then moving lower to study her legs. He flushed as he realized what he was doing and looked up at her face instead. She brushed a hair away from her face. Nate followed her hand again, feeling as though he could count every single facet of her skin, every vein in her arms. He decided to stand up. Maybe that would help.  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
Nate looked at his feet to keep from staring at someplace she would find offensive.  
  
"Ah, it's a waste of time."  
  
Teresa quirked an eyebrow, then walked up to him and grabbed his arm.  
  
"Well, we've got to find something to do that will fill up that time won't we?" She then marched him off.  
  
Essex watched from the shadows. Nate's telepathic powers had developed strongly, and it was getting to be more of a burden to conceal himself from Nate. He had to concentrate or he would not be able to hide from his occasional telepathic bursts. So, the young boy was developing an interest in Teresa. Damn. this wasn't as good an idea as he had originally planned. He could not afford to have Nate have too many emotional attachments. Especially since he would have to kill forge and his little rag tag bunch once he was ready. The way he was already cozying up to Teresa didn't give Sinister too much pause. However what had begun to concern him was the growing bond between Forge and Nate. That blasted mutant had begun to grow fond of Nate, Sinister could tell.  
  
Sinister had grown suspicious of Forge over the last few months. It had been a good idea to keep a close eye on things. Sinister had also managed to glean information of another kind. Information which had begun to worry him. Rumors of a burning Avalon had reached these parts. Avalon burning, a monstrous battle, and the X-men's names had been mentioned most in the stories he had heard. However another name had begun popping up with increasing frequency, that of the High Prelate, Scott Summers. The man who had been almost a son to him. How pathetic he was, turned to betray all that he had believed in because of a love affair with some woman. Never mind that the woman had an almost perfect genetic match to his.  
  
Sinister regretted few things in his life, however it had been letting go of Scott and Alex, as well as Remy Lebeau that he regretted the most. Remy fascinated him, the way his body reacted to other mutations, and the sheer power at his beck and call. Almost the same way Scott intrigued him, although Scott was more like a favored son, the first of a very powerful strain of mutant genes he had met. The Summers had very different genes from other mutants. It had one factor that recurred in it, a single thing that had always given Sinister pause. The almost unlimited capacity to take temporal energy and use it to travel through time unscathed. However the energy was a passive ability, uncontrollable, as much under ones control as the beating of ones heart could be.  
  
However Sinister had given all of that up, in order to further his usage of his greatest creation. Nate Grey, the biological son of Jean Grey and Scott Summers, potentially the most powerful mutant in the world, with enough Raw power to take on even Apocalypse. It was necessary Sinister reflected. He had served Apocalypse for over a century. Now it was time to leave his one time master. After all, how could Sinister continue with his plans if Apocalypse exterminated all life on the planet?  
  
He turned and walked away. It was time to meet with Forge.  
  
x------------------------------- -x  
  
Forge shivered slightly as he stood in the darkness of the clearing. This forest was where Sinister wanted to meet. He wondered what Sinister was up to. I the past few months, Sinister had told him where to go and what to do. And whatever happened in the camp, Sinister somehow knew. Forge was not sure what information Sinister knew, and which he didn't. However Sinister had not commanded a meeting for almost two months. Forge wondered why that was.  
  
He thought about Nate as he waited. After spending so much time with him, Forge had grown genuinely fond of the boy, and was protective of him. In fact each of the members of this little bunch of his were protective of Nate. The boy had seemed to show so much promise of youth and exuberance. However as the months had passed, Nate's exuberance had been replaced by crushing anger at Apocalypse. Forge knew that Nate thought of his life before meeting them. How he had been freed from his prison by a mysterious mutant with red on black eyes. Forge knew that mutant well. Gambit, the leader of roulette, and ally of the X-men. The thieving group had been nearly wiped out though, from what little he had heard. Forge also wondered what had become of Magneto and his X-men. Rumor was that they had died when Muir Isle was destroyed, but Forge had received word from one of his sources that the X-men still lived. There were other rumors as well, some saying that the High Prelate had died, some that he had turned traitor.  
  
The world was full of rumors, and Forge was not sure of which were true. However he would report to Sinister what he could. He shook again.  
  
"Cold my friend?"  
  
At the sound of the cold voice forge turned. Sinister stood there, standing next to a tree. He walked forward, the ruby diamond in his head shining.  
  
"My Lord! I was beginning to worry." he trailed off abruptly. Sinister at times deliberately misconstrued what he said, and he might have taken what he said to be insolence. Too late.  
  
"You were worried Forge? How... touching. I trust you weren't going to come and look for me were you? After all I gave you specific instructions to wait here."  
  
Forge bowed his head, looking at his feet so that Sinister wouldn't have to see his hatred, both for Sinister and for himself.  
  
"No my Lord."  
  
Sinister smiled slightly, "good. Now tell me Forge. How is my. young friend doing?"  
  
Forge looked up, "He's fine Lord. As commanded he hates Apocalypse more and more each day."  
  
Sinister smiled, "good. he will soon be powerful enough to return to me and my tutelage." Sinister turned as he said it, and so missed Forge suddenly blanching. Forge felt sick. Nate, go back under Sinister's control. the thought made him shiver.  
  
"You are cold Forge. you aren't sick are you?"  
  
Forge shook his head, keeping silent lest he say something wrong.  
  
"Very well then, stop shivering. It's annoying. What other news is there?"  
  
Forge spoke, telling Sinister all he had heard about the X-men.  
  
Sinister nodded when he finished, "You haven't told me anything new Forge. I know all this. Be sure to have more information next time. I shall call upon you again, soon. yes very soon." Sinister then smiled, and Forge shivered again.  
  
Abruptly Sinister was gone, fading away into the darkness like some sort of pale wraith. Forge stood there for a while longer, replaying Sinister's comments about Nate. He sighed. Just when he had begun to really like the boy too.  
  
x------------------- ---x  
  
Moira Trask sat at her desk, going through some reports on London. Her suspicions had deepened over the last few weeks. More people had been found dead; murdered, than in the last two years. Extra Sentinels had been dispatched, but there was only so much that could be done without causing mass-hysteria. The last thing the Human High Council needed was widespread panic about mutants. Moira sat back and rubbed the bridge of her nose. Her headaches were getting more and more prominent. At least tonight she would be able to relax slightly. Johnny and Beatrix were coming over. Her mouth widened in a smile as she remembered the final days leading up to their confession to her about their ongoing affair. She had never seen Johnny so tongue tied. They had asked her to keep their secret. Moira wasn't sure about their reasons for keeping it a secret, but it made for a welcome change from the usual happenings in her normal day.  
  
A small beeping noise alerted her to the incoming message. Magneto; it had to be. No one else could be able to get through the communications blackout caused by Wundagore's destruction.  
  
Moira could see nothing. There was a lot of static and not much else on the screen.  
  
".. Sending X-tea. ogan.. owcat and Pietro. They'll be leaving here...ching in a few da... It's time to fin........to... all."  
  
The message broke off. Moira stared at the monitor in consternation. From what she could make out Logan, Pietro and Shadowcat would be coming to London. and perhaps some others. She could also deduce that they would reaching in a few days. The last part of the message Moira couldn't make out. Either Magneto was going to finish it all, or something else. Moira rubbed the bridge of her nose again. Her headache was getting worse.  
  
x------------------------ --x  
  
Brian Braddock watched silently as Moira sat back. The screen was large, and it had been difficult to get it. She had just received a message from Magneto, that was apparent, but what it was. Brian wasn't sure. He glanced at his companion, to see what he might have made of it. His companion was still, almost like a statue. In fact, if Brian didn't know what to look for, he would not have seen the man at all. If the thing next to him could be called a man at all. It wore a cloak that seemed to draw all light from around it, like a black hole. Yet it shone like the most polished onyx. The creature stood with its arms folded, the huge gauntlets as black as the rest of him. The only visible spot of color were its eyes, glowing under the hood. Brian was glad for the hood. It had spared him from looking at the foul thing. For it had a facemask that was a skull, with glowing eyes. In fact in the light, the whole skull seemed to shine. Brian had seen them shining at times, glowing blue with some unholy energy. It called itself Death, and how well the name fitted.  
  
On the screen Moira stood up and went to the bathroom. Brian leaned forward to watch the next screen. However Death had other plans and shut the screen with a flick of a switch. Brian steeled himself against the terror he would soon experience.  
  
"Watching the woman has proven fairly conclusive. The X-men are moving." Brian shivered s the crumbling voice reached him. It sounded like bones grating against each other, with a hollow effect.  
  
"It is good. When they reach here, I will be able to pick them off. Make certain Moira Trask cannot reach them. We shall use her as bait if it comes to that. I hope Magneto himself decides to make his presence, although that is unlikely."  
  
Brian looked at him in surprise.  
  
"Why is it unlikely?"  
  
Death stared at him.  
  
"I wonder if this control has not robbed you of your senses. In the message it was made clear that Magneto would only be sending a few people. The only names that were clear were Weapon X, Shadowcat and Quicksilver. I am assuming more will be sent than just three."  
  
Brain flinched at the sound of Weapon X. The mutant was known for his savagery.  
  
"Will you be handle them?"  
  
Death looked at him for a few seconds. Long enough so that Brian took a step back.  
  
Death's hand lashed out and a glowing whip struck Brian, hard enough that he fell on the ground. As the energy dissipated he began to convulse. Brian retched.  
  
Death watched as Brian regained control of himself.  
  
"You are transparent to me Braddock. I know you fear Weapon X. Do not worry. He will pose no trouble. I will deal with all of them myself, and take great pleasure in doing so. The Master will be pleased when I hand him these X-men's heads. And when I destroy the Human high Council and the remaining humans, he will be even more pleased. Nothing shall stop my Master's plan."  
  
Brian just lay on the ground shivering.  
  
x---------------------------------- -----x  
  
Remy stood in front of the mirror, his eyes seeing the new look he sported, but his mind was indifferent to it. In fact his mind seemed to have shut down almost completely as far as emotion was concerned. Too much heartache, too many betrayals. In the months following the destruction of Muir Isle, he had become Candra's personal lieutenant. That wasn't his official title, though. He was part of Candra's armed guard, yes, but officially he was an Uber-leutnant. Apocalypse had made changes over the months, and now the mutant strike units had become integrated with the Infinite assault groups. Each integrated unit was now simply called Strike Force1, 2 etc. Each was headed by a Rook, below whom were the Uber-leutnants for the mutant part, and human Infinite commanders for the Infinite's. For every ten strike forces there was one Prelate to lead. The Prelates were led by Havok and Deathbird, who in turn fell under the command of Apocalypse's own lieutenants; Candra, Sammael, Exodus and Mikhail Rasputin. Above them was Holocaust, standing just below Apocalypse himself. An efficient little power structure.  
  
However within this structure there were groups. Remy himself didn't lead any strike force mutant unit. He was part of Candra's personal guard, and as such had different duties. Which was convenient. He had no contact with the Prelates, and the higher echelon barely acknowledged that he and his group existed. His group. humph, it could be put that way. A few high level Infinite's and a couple of enhanced human drones. His uniform was simple, white standard Kevlar identifying him as an Uber-leutnant and Blood red armor, signifying that he was under Candra's personal jurisdiction. He still wore his head mask, which swiveled around the back of his head and to the sides of his face. Only now it was white, to go with the rest of the costume. Remy had not tried to use his powers the way he had when attempting to escape. He had kept them low key. A massive power surge would be detected by most mutants in the Tower, and might even bring down Apocalypse' attention. Remy wanted none of that. No matter how powerful he was, he knew Apocalypse was stronger. Besides he couldn't take on whole armies.  
  
He turned away from the mirror and walked down into Candra's living area, the sunken part of the room where he had first taken her. His life had fallen into a simple routine. Get up in the morning, make love to Candra, unless she was required elsewhere. Then train with the other member's of his unit for a few hours. Once that was done he could return to Candra's rooms, and escort her wherever it was necessary to. Eat whenever he got a chance, and then stand guard outside the 'war room' as it had been dubbed. At night make love to Candra again a few times then sleep. Thanks to the simple monotony of his present life, Remy had become bored, emotionless- ness notwithstanding. Well, during the day at any rate. His nights were filled with Candra, and her hundred odd years of life had taught her tricks. She could still turn him on with a simple look, his body responding to her with excited remembrance. He did not love her, and neither could he say he hated her. He was just emotionally. indifferent. Physically was a completely different thing though.  
  
He straightened up as he heard the sound of Candra's door opening. The external walked out of her room, the only thing covering her body was a white towel wrapped around her waist.  
  
"How is my bodyguard feeling today?" Candra was becoming more possessive as time went by Remy noted idly. He then saw the flush of her cheeks, the slightly ragged breathing. Oh, she was in that sort of mood.  
  
"Why don't you come here Remy and cool down?"  
  
Remy smiled without any humor at Candra.  
  
"Mebbe y' meant dat Remy should get warmer?"  
  
Candra arched her brow slightly, "Whatever you wish darling. I'm all yours."  
  
Still keeping the smile fixated on his face Remy moved forward, taking Candra in his arms. As he buried his face in her smooth neck, Remy thought to himself as to how he was getting closer to achieving his final goal. With Candra's unwitting help he would soon be in a position to use her himself to find Sinister. Hunt down the dog that killed his love and end it. He had a promise to keep, and Remy was a man of his word.  
  
====================  
  
Ooh. How cold. Remy's become a bona fide. cold person. hard hearted I suppose. Emotionally dead. What a change from the elemental thing he once was.  
  
The X-men are moving. How cool. Splitting them up was necessary. I'm not all that great writing a whole bunch of characters. especially if they're characters I don't know too well. Don't; worry about the slowdown, things pick up next chapter. It got a bit long, and it wasn't part of the 'final four' as I've dubbed the conclusion to this, so it's a two parter.  
  
Adios. See ya in a few days. 


	6. Haunted: Hello

Okay, so here's the next chapter. Ummm. not much really happens this chapter, but next chapter is definitely action packed. This one is more of a build up to the next. Oh, and you really should get the titles by now. (chapter title) If you've been paying attention.  
  
Remy may just turn out to be the hero, keep reading pls.  
  
Haunted  
  
Part One: Hello  
  
They trudged through the endless expanse of rock and snow. The series of mountains was slightly daunting that was for sure. Even in the light of day they stood out against the sky, grim and forbidding. As Logan dragged on his cigar, he felt a little awed. The mountains would dwarf even Apocalypse. He shivered slightly. Christ if this was how bad he felt, he didn't want to know how the others felt. Rumik and Psylocke walked together, clad in the warmest fur. Piotr had changed to his steel form a while back, so he was possibly feeling warmer than he was. Shadowcat was walking close to Piotr, trying to keep his body close by to shield her from winds. Sunfire flew above them, radiating a little warmth. Logan was as glad as hell to have him along right now. Without him their speed would have fallen even more. The last few days had been difficult. Magneto had helped them out of the magnetic storm that raged around Wundagore, but they had been on their own after that. They had made good time for the first two days. Then a surprise attack had destroyed their only means of transport.  
  
Reavers. cyborg's with only one mission, kill anything that moved. Logan snarled under his breath as he thought of them. Due to them they had lost half of their supplies, and thanks to their blowing up their only means of transport, their travel time had been extended by days. Unless they found some form of transportation, they would be able to reach London in a little over a month, and that was assuming they found something to subsist on that long. Their supplies rationed out to their maximum capabilities would last only another week. Already the group had become irritable and hostile to one another. Yesterday Kitty had cried tears of frustration after a fight with Piotr. They had apparently made up, but the fact that they fought at all worried Logan. Piotr was completely devoted to Kitty, and the fact that he had started the fight had shocked Logan. Logan himself had taken none of the rations. Instead he hunted at night, eating whatever he could. It was something he had to do, and he also realized he would need to teach the others to do so as well. If they would survive they would need to work together and save whatever rations they could, in whatever way they could.  
  
It all blew over the next day. It started off innocently enough. A sudden gale forced us to take cover. Unfortunately, Betsy tripped and fell. The gale managed to push her along till she came close to a ravine. Logan moved fast, but Helena was there before him, the ground rising up and propelling Betsy into Logan. They sprawled in a heap. Logan got up quickly, but Betsy lay there gasping.  
  
"Get up Betsy, we don't; have time to wait! The wind's gonna get stronger, not weaker! We gotta move now."  
  
Helena ran up breathing heavily from exertion.  
  
"Oh shut up you little prick! We all don't; have you amazing endurance, or your healing factor. We all are not as trained as you are to brave the elements! Give us a break!"  
  
Piotr and Kitty came up at that point.  
  
"Yeah. Where the hell do you get off telling us what to do and how to do it. You may be our interim leader, but you push too much, ask too much, and ."  
  
Logan snarled then, "How the hell else are we gonna get off this godforsaken mountain and get to London on time! As it is we're barely gonna survive. I made a promise kid, and I ain't gonna break it."  
  
"I have had enough of you." Piotr suddenly lunged forward and his fist caught Logan beneath the eye. The force sent Logan flying back into the side of the cliff behind them.  
  
He grunted as his back hit the rock, sending rock crumbs flying.  
  
"All right bub. Let's get this over with."  
  
Logan rushed forward, his claws bursting out of his hand. Kitty moved in front of Piotr and unsheathed her own claws.  
  
"Come on you bastard!"  
  
Helena raised the ground around him.  
  
"STOP!" They all froze as if in a tableau, looking up at the stern figure of Shiro.  
  
"What are you all doing? Have you taken leave of your senses? Logan is doing his best to help us; in order that we get to London alive."  
  
Piotr suddenly reverted to his normal state, or abnormal depending on ones viewpoint, and sank to the ground.  
  
"He is right. I am sorry comrade. I don't know what came over me. The agonizing torture of being afraid for Katya, the realization that we have failed our mission even before we begun."  
  
Helena and Kitty were also contrite.  
  
"I'm sorry as well Logan. I guess I overreacted. What can I say? It's the weather, and the gloomy doom-y atmosphere."  
  
Logan sheathed his claws and stood up.  
  
"Apologies accepted kids. In truth I'm partially to blame. This kind of life ain't easy, and I been trying to force it on you. I guess the monotony messed with us or something."  
  
Shiro nodded in approval.  
  
"Well, I have some good news. There's a silo of some sort up ahead, with some bunkers and a small building. I think we might find some transport there."  
  
They all brightened up and were quickly on their way again.  
  
It took a little over half an hour and they were at the silo.  
  
It was a fair sized complex, with a main command building with smaller offshoots running in a z shaped pattern around it. A kilometer away from the main building stood the silo itself, a huge golden bronze structure. It seemed as though a missile still stood in the middle, partially damaged, leaning against the construct. A group of bunkers and a few garages stood near the command building.  
  
"This is heaven sent." Betsy breathed softly.  
  
"Let's not count our chickens before they hatch, kids. X-men, lets stick together. No telling what's in here."  
  
Small movement from the top of the silo caught Logan's attention.  
  
"There's someone there!" Saying so Logan rushed to the silo, claws out.  
  
"Uhh. weren't we supposed to stick together?" Piotr was slightly confused.  
  
"Damn it. this is Logan Piotr. That should be enough to explain it. Let's go." The X-men followed Weapon X.  
  
Logan reached the bottom of the tower in a few minutes. There was someone here. He could smell it. The scent was familiar somehow. Logan wrinkled his brow for a second, but nothing surfaced.  
  
He walked forward, ready for any attack, anything the enemy would do.  
  
He moved up the floors, the scent growing stronger as he climbed. He saw Shiro circle the outside of the building at his level. Good. the X-men were coming.  
  
Suddenly a projectile launched itself from the dark corner opposite to his own. It expanded and became a net, capturing the Canadian mutant very efficiently and very effectively.  
  
"Hold it right there pal. I don't know who you are, but you ain't getting any further."  
  
Logan's eyes widened as he heard the voice. The voice of a person he had though long dead.  
  
"Carol, Carol Danvers?"  
  
The woman walked forward, showing a petite oval shaped face with short blonde hair kept tucked behind her ears.  
  
"Who. Logan?"  
  
x---------------------- --x  
  
Moira stopped in front of the door that was marked private. She had had a good long talk with Beatrix and Johnny a few days earlier. Now she would take her suspicions to the man himself.  
  
She paused as she reviewed everything that had gone on over the last few days. After the message from Magneto she had rested for a few minutes, trying to ease her headache. Finally she had gotten up and walked to her bathing room, and taking a hot shower. She would have preferred soaking in the tub, but she didn't have the time or luxury for that. After nearly scalding herself in her haste, Moira dried herself quickly, and grabbing her only formal evening gown. a relic from her youth, in a world where Apocalypse did not yet exist, and mutants were a subject of slight curiosity. She glanced at herself in the mirror. Not bad for someone pushing forty. Her waist tapered down to her hips, hips that were still smooth and narrow. Her stomach was only slightly rounded, and her ribcage showed only slightly. Her breasts were high and pointed, still rounded and firm, with only slight sag to show her age. Much of her present condition had to do with her workout regimen and hectic lifestyle, yet there was also the fact that she had never given birth. In another world, another lifetime she might have done so. if not with Bolivar, then with Xavier perhaps. maybe even someone else. Her face was a different story however. There were dark circles beneath her eyes, eyes that already seemed glazed over half the time, having lost their spark with the death of Xavier. Her lips were still full and rounded, but her cheeks were sunken in, giving them an impression of fatness than anything else. Her face looked old, her body young. Moira sighed and quickly put on her dress. No point in mulling over what couldn't be helped.  
  
Johnny and Beatrix had arrived sometime later, and the evening had passed pleasantly enough; that is until they got to the important part of their conversation. Moira had told them of Magneto's attempt to either come himself or send other X-men. The only ones confirmed were Logan, Shadowcat and maybe colossus. There were others, but it was uncertain who they were. Johnny and Beatrix had reported what they had heard, about Brian's usage of his position to gain access to some powerful technology, technology that only the Human High Council could use. Moira had slowly become convinced that Brian was planning something, and that it did not bode well for the High Council whatever it was.  
  
She had vowed then to find out what Brian was up to, and stop him if she could.  
  
As Moira stood outside Brian's private wing in the High Council offices, she realized with a sigh that if this went badly the Human High Council may well be split apart. She would have to be delicate yet firm, merciless, yet maintain kindness. A difficult task on the whole. She hoped she was up to it. She once again cursed Cyclops for killing Charles Xavier, then breathing deeply opened the door.  
  
x--------------------- x  
  
"She comes."  
  
Brian looked up at the camera mounted on the wall in front of his desk. It showed Moira Trask, walking determinedly towards his office, in the hallway just beyond.  
  
"She knows then?" Brian asked his master timidly. "Hmm, she suspects much, but even she cannot comprehend what she is about to unearth. My master has given me free leave to do as I will. It is time to subjugate this land, and give my master what I have promised. It is only fitting after all, that Death comes to those who are weak."  
  
Death looked carefully at the monitor again.  
  
"This woman will be the first to fall. or perhaps she can be used, much as you are being used. Come Brian; let us pretend to be doing what we should be doing. After all, we don't; want to alarm Ms. Trask too soon."  
  
Brain nodded, and walked behind his desk, as death transformed and began to sit in the chair in front of Brian's desk.  
  
"Wait, there's someone else in there, behind her."  
  
Death spun around.  
  
"What now?"  
  
Brian was surprised to see the person who had followed Moira.  
  
"What the hell? It's that oriental, Mariko Yoshida. what is she doing here?"  
  
x-------------------x  
  
This may be it, Scott thought. The Hybrid was going to drop them off close to the Sea Wall headquarters. Scott knew the defense system inside out, being one of the people who had almost total knowledge of security. The only other person was Alex Summers, his own brother and head of security for the Tower. Unless some very drastic changes had taken place, they faced a few hundred Infinites, no Mutant Assault units thankfully, but the Reavers were possibly here. Scott had wondered long where they had disappeared to after the battle at the Citadel. He had assumed they were at the Sea Walls, but he wasn't sure. At the end of all that they faced Holocaust and Rasputin. His team would consist of Storm, Nightcrawler, Angel and Jean. Dammit, he didn't want her to go with him. It was at best a suicide mission. It was possible that they would take out the Sea Wall, but he didn't think they would make it out. He clenched his jaw. He would make sure that none of them, especially Jean, would die.  
  
Scott walked over to where his new uniform lay, a black outfit made of tough polymer fiber, with armor to go with his gauntlets. Taking off his visor and gauntlets had proved easier than he expected. Sinister was truly a genius. At the thought of his 'father' Scott's emotions begun churning again, blending hatred and respect and trust together. His hand stilled on the purple metallic gauntlet. At that point the door opened and Jean walked in.  
  
"Scott. what's wrong. I felt a mixture of emotions from you. diverse."  
  
Scott sighed.  
  
"It's nothing Jean. I was just. reminiscing, hesitating. God. everything seems to be confused still. Sinister."  
  
Jean walked up and laid her head on his chest gently, her short hair pressed between her cheek and his chest.  
  
"Shh... It's all right Scott. He can't hurt you anymore."  
  
Scott smiled slightly. She had missed the point completely, but that was all right. The feel of her in his arms right now, so precious, infinitely fragile to him.  
  
He cupped her chin and lifted her face.  
  
"You always make me feel better."  
  
Jean leaned in and kissed him slowly, a simple touch of mouth to mouth, caressing his lips with hers slowly. She moved back after a while of the simple contact.  
  
"We may only have a few hours left to enjoy life in Scott. Take me now, God I can't wait."  
  
Scott blinked at the vehemence of her words.  
  
"Here?" He asked a bit surprised.  
  
Jean answered him by pressing her open mouth to his slightly parted lips. Her tongue slipped through his lips, finding his own and rubbing against it. Scott moaned as she pressed her hip against his. His hand snaked to behind her head and he pulled her closer.  
  
Jean shudder with pleasure and began to open his costume, while telekinetically locking the door to the uniform storage room.  
  
"Remove your glasses."  
  
Scott moved back.  
  
"No Jean. Are you insane!"  
  
"No Scott. I'm perfectly sane. I just want to see your whole face, just for a minute."  
  
Scott sighed and then slowly took off his glasses, keeping his lids shut. Jean watched his face quietly, embedding every facet of it in her mind. She leaned forward and kissed his left eye softly, and then his right. She then kissed her way down his nose until she reached his lips again. He wore his glasses again, and pulled her close to him again, sliding her top off.  
  
Jean shuddered with ecstasy as his rough hands caressed her shoulder blades. Jean ground her hips against Scott's, earning a muffled cry of wanting from him. He pressed his hips against hers then, and she snaked one leg up behind his left thigh, hooking it firmly. Scott moved his head down to nibble at her neck. She arched her head back, leaving her neck completely open to him. He pressed his face into it, breathing her scent in deeply.  
  
Jean hooked her hands in the waistband of the lower part of his costume. He lay back against the bench as she moved on top of him.  
  
x-------------------- ----------x  
  
Ororo Munroe sat in the hallway outside the medical bay, watching the wind go by outside. Normally, a mutant would not be able to see wind. Ororo was not so much seeing it as feeling it. Her mutant power made her specially attuned to nature, and as such she could feel the speed at which they moved right now, feel the air particles be brushed aside as the behemoth that was the Hybrid moved inexorably towards its target. The outlying areas of the Sea Wall headquarters. She was on of the last two remaining members of Roulette. And that knowledge jarred her. The death of Marrow, after an interminable coma, and Renegade's fall, both against the Horseman War, was not something she was able to accept readily. Mystique. she had left Roulette. However, what hurt most was that the one person in this world who she was closest to was gone, for good.  
  
Remy, the man who was like a brother to her. gone, dead. Ororo wished she could cry. However the tears would not come. She deeply regretted being so cold to him, but she had wanted to jar him into being more forgiving towards Rogue. Remy was not above playing games with Rogue's feelings. However with the child on the way, Ororo had to put a stop to it. Remy had been alone long enough though. And her subsequent betrayal put him through hell. Ororo had had to leave her mentor to go to him, and in doing so her mentor had died. The only reason she trusted Scott Summers now was because of Jean Grey. Once they made it to the Sea Wall, they would see if he was worthy of that respect.  
  
x---------------------------- -----x  
  
Warren and Kurt sat in the main room of the Hybrid, with the other X-men. However each of their minds was focused on one thing. The task ahead. They had never been the closest while in the X-men, but now they sat together, thinking about the time ahead in silent contemplation. The massive ship was quiet for once, each X-man or woman realizing that this may be the last they saw the other at ease and relaxed.  
  
"We've been through a lot huh, Kurt?" Warren finally broke the silence, speaking softly to Kurt.  
  
"Ja, I guess so, mein freund. I suppose we should hav known zis time would be coming soon."  
  
Warren stretched back, extending his wings, "The end of an era. It's time to go out in a big way, know what I mean?"  
  
Kurt smiled, "Ja, mein freund, I do. Though you will not hold it against this X-man if he prefers to go out quietly, I hope?"  
  
Warren smiled, "No way, Kurt. We've never been the best of friends, but you know, I'm glad to have you as my back in there."  
  
Kurt smiled and nodded, "You to, Warren, you to."  
  
Warren smiled slightly. He hoped he had the strength to do what was needed.  
  
x--------------------- -x  
  
Magnus stood on the main deck of the Hybrid as they dropped off the X-men that would be going to the Sea Wall. He hung his head as the ship they were in disappeared into the fog that surrounded the Sea Wall command center for miles around. He cursed himself again for giving into logic. He had been about to join those X-men, when he saw Rogue's eyes. Damn it. Logically he knew that the X-men chosen would be best equipped to handle the Sea Wall. Cyclops especially since he knew the most about defense as the former High Prelate. He forced himself to turn away from the window.  
  
"Let's go Pietro. The longer we stay here, the more chance there is of some patrol catching us, or the Sea Wall detecting us."  
  
Pietro nodded, and engaged the engines of the giant craft. With a subtle humming that quickly died out the Hybrid began to move again, heading for America, and the heart of Apocalypses Empire. Their mission was simple. Once in the empire they would search and rescue whatever humans they could, as well as mutant escapees. He remembered that one mutant he had met, the one the Prelates had also been after. For some reason he had seemed familiar.  
  
Wanda watched her father from her seat. He had begun taking too much responsibility on himself these days. She had always worried about him, especially after the fall of Wundagore Mountain. Magnus had blamed himself for that for far too long. Then when Xavier died he had become the leader of the X-men. So far he had done an excellent job, but the team had begun falling apart then. In the one month after Xavier died, Magnus had to come to terms with the defection of two of Apocalypse's elite, and whether to trust them, and then the coming of the horsemen. No one could have expected that. Wanda still shuddered. In less than five minutes War had finished off half of Roulette. Just War and Plague alone had been enough to keep the X- men occupied. Apocalypse had the most powerful mutants on his side. Holocaust, Sammael, Sinister, Exodus, Rasputin, Candra, those two horsemen, and of course Apocalypse himself, the most powerful mutant. or whatever he was, on the planet. The only mutant in the X-men who was comparable was Magnus, her father. No other mutant could take on one any of Apocalypse's head lieutenants in terms of raw power.  
  
She looked warmly at Rogue. After all this time, she had finally realized that Rogue was good enough for her father. It took the baby and other shocks to finally make her realize how jealous she was acting. Wanda admitted it now, even though she wasn't exactly proud to. She had felt her place with Magnus would be usurped by Rogue. However Rogue was exactly the sort of loving supportive person Wanda would have wished for her father, and they were deliriously happy together. She felt sorry for Remy. Lord Remy. one of her closest friends, they had initially bonded when Rogue first left him for Magnus. She could at one time say she was one of his closer friends. Now however he was dead. Dead like much of his team. She hoped that he had found peace finally. The ghost of his ex-love Belladonna had haunted him far too long. She sighed and turned to watch Sabretooth and Blink, their two newest recruits bicker over something. Wanda was glad for Blinks seeming hold over Sabretooth. Thanks to her, Wanda was sure, Sabretooth's old feral instincts and bloodlust was firmly on hold.  
  
Wanda surveyed the rest of the team; Bobby and Emma were talking in the corner, while Rogue was contentedly napping in a chair. Sean was nowhere to be seen, he had gone to the bathroom a while back. Wanda suspected he had been drinking again, but there was nothing for it now. She turned to survey her brother, sitting proudly at the controls. Pietro was a man much like his father, yet very different at the same time. He was strong, silent, and more of a rock to cry on, yet he could have a commanding presence if required. She wondered how the others were faring, and if she'd ever see them again.  
  
x--------------------- -x  
  
Asmodeus looked around the ship that Halfbane had secreted away. As ships went it was fairly old and decrepit, an old sail boat of the eighteen hundreds. However it had enough space to hold most of Halfbane's army. The little that were left would be making the voyage on other ships. Asmodeus had almost had an apoplexy when he saw the ship Halfbane intended them to use. With Galaire gone this ancient schooner would take them to the Sea Wall in all of ten years.  
  
He was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of going slowly the ship was very fast His curiosity was laid to rest when he saw Halfbane propelling them using some form of energy blast which slammed into the water at a trajectory that was just enough for them to be propelled forward at speeds faster than those that a modern speedboat could pull off. Even then it would have taken them a few days.  
  
Asmodeus now stood with his pipe, taking small puffs. His body didn't feel the chill of the foggy air around them, but he still wore a heavy camel colored coat. The cold did affect his movement, and the coat reduced that hindrance by a great factor. Behamen was already seducing another poor fellow in Halfbane's army. Asmodeus felt a small shred of pity for all the heartbroken men she had already gone through in the three days that they had been on the ship. At least they were now close. An hour or two tops and they would be at the Sea Wall. Asmodeus had to grudgingly admit that Halfbane had his moments of genius. When he wasn't stark raving mad he was absolutely brilliant, and Asmodeus knew why Shaman had respected him so.  
  
Astaroth had also begun doubting the mind of their leader, however he had made no comment to Asmodeus about his apparent suspicions. Asmodeus and Gilgamesh still maintained their truce. They both waited for Halfbane to die, or be killed. Once that happened they would be at each other's throats again. To the death this time, Asmodeus was sure. Well for better or for worse, they would at least have a far saner leader. Asmodeus recognized in Gilgamesh an equal, which was why they had always fought.  
  
He sighed. As soon as Halfbane died, they would have to procure some means to escape the Sea Wall. That had to be their primary objective, apart from staying alive.  
  
x--------------- -----x  
  
Remy faced his opponent warily across the training mat. Domino was a fairly skilled Rook. Her fighting prowess was probably beyond his. Remy also knew what her mutant powers were. The ability to affect probabilities around her, in a latent fashion, similar yet different from Wanda's own. Lucky for Remy he had learned how to deal with mutants who could affect their own chances for winning in a battle. Of course, Remy could always just charge her up and make her explode, but he wasn't going to do that just yet.  
  
She came at him, low and fast, her heels sliding on the ground. Remy hopped up and back, avoiding the sweep of her legs, his hands coming up with assurance to block the kick that came up after the sweep. Domino backtracked and looked at him with something akin to respect. Then she came in again. A hard punch to the midsection, blocked easily. A lightning fast jab to the jaw, which Remy again blocked, moving even faster than her. Finally a roundhouse kick that Remy managed to deflect. barely. She was fast, very fast, with a body trained to kill. She had more experience, more skill. As she came in again for the attack it was all Remy could do to evade her assault. He wondered how long she would last against Logan in a hand-to-hand battle. The cold silver mask that the top left of her face glistened, her tattoo barely showing beneath it.  
  
Actually Remy wasn't too certain it was a tattoo. She lunged forward her leg outstretched in a flying kick. This time Remy leaped back as well, pulling his legs up to his chest. He gripped the side of his boots, and pulled, unclasping two metal rods. He joined two ends, which clasped together immediately. As Domino landed Remy swung his newly acquired staff. She barely evaded the blow. Remy smiled digging a hand into his pocket and charging up three cards, flinging them at her in rapid fire motions. Domino evaded the first two, but the third hit her on her flank. Domino fell to the side, grimacing in pain.  
  
"Give it up chere."  
  
Domino gritted her teeth and stood up, "Never! A shit little bodyguard like you isn't going to put me down."  
  
Remy smiled slightly.  
  
Domino carefully positioned herself and ran forward. Instead of defending himself, Remy also ran forward, stick angled away and behind him. Domino slowed as they met in a flurry of punches and kicks. Finally Remy tripped her up with his staff and put a hand on her chest.  
  
"I win Rook. It's over."  
  
The sound of clapping interrupted them.  
  
"Oh bravo, well done bodyguard." Remy turned. It was Meltdown, another rook, and a woman who defined the word bitch. She was catty and ambitious and wanted nothing more than to rise in rank. She was also sleeping with both Bedlam brothers on the sly, keeping each brother from finding out about her sleeping with the other.  
  
Remy hated her.  
  
Suddenly he felt some sort of premonition. Turning he saw Domino rise guns in each hand.  
  
"I don't lose easy you little pussy. Eat this."  
  
Remy ducked to the side, but one blast grazed his side. He narrowed his eyes in rage and charged up Domino's armor.  
  
Meltdowns eye's widened. Domino looked at her armor in shock, and looked up, her white face looking paler.  
  
"No."  
  
Remy unleashed the charge, causing the armor on one of her arms and one of her legs to explode.  
  
Domino screamed as her arm was burnt down to the bone. Her leg fared only slightly better. She collapsed screaming in pain.  
  
Meltdown backed away slightly.  
  
Remy walked up to Domino.  
  
"Never do dat again chere. Remy, he not a forgiving person. As for Candra. she not be too forgiving either."  
  
Domino only continued screaming.  
  
x--------------------- --x  
  
Alex Summers watched as Scarlet finished undressing. Damn, she was beautiful. A sudden shaft of guilt went through him. Lorna was beautiful too, and he loved her. But. he loved Scarlet too. The woman turned him on as not other could, not even Lorna. He walked up to her and laid his palms against her warm shoulders.  
  
She turned, "Alex, stop it. I have to go now. I need to earn my living you know. Karma doesn't let me stay here for free."  
  
Alex pouted slightly, his eyes glittering with lust.  
  
"I can make it so you know," he whispered in her ear, nipping the sensitive skin below it.  
  
"Make. what." Scarlet asked a bit distractedly.  
  
"Make it so that you never have to work again. Karma runs this place on my suffering. One word from me and it's shut down."  
  
Scarlet turned smiling slightly.  
  
"Oh, really? Are you that powerful?"  
  
Alex grinned down at her triumphantly.  
  
"I am the highest ranking Prelate. This. Deathbird, she won't last long. Once I prove myself to Apocalypse, he'll reward me by making me part of his higher council. I'll stand on par with Exodus, Sammael, Candra and Holocaust. I'll replace my father. as I did my brother."  
  
Alex's mouth twisted at the last, his face darkening with hatred. Because of Scott, everything bad that could happen had happened. He'd show them all what he truly was capable of.  
  
An hour later Alex rode up to the smaller compound within the Tower walls that housed the living quarters of the Prelates. Since the old living quarters had been destroyed in the attack, the had expanded the Tower, till it now resembled a small h. The main building was still there, with a large walkway leading to the living and training quarters of the Prelates and Rooks, as well as a new laboratory for Dark Beast.  
  
Alex got off the bike and stood it in its place. He began moving rapidly towards the quarters he shared with Lorna. Thanks to the extra hour he spent with Scarlet he was late for a meeting with Lorna. Luckily he could always blame it on some problems with security. God knew it was a big enough problem anyway. With all the recent problems with the mutant units control chips malfunctioning, it was a fairly plausible excuse.  
  
He entered his code and had himself scanned. His quarters were among the most secure in the entire complex. He had put every security measure he could think of. He still wasn't sure if it was enough though.  
  
Lorna was waiting inside, a thoroughly pissed off expression on her face.  
  
"I'm sorry Lorna. I know I'm late. Security problems again. Some big mutant got ideas and decided to create a riot and attempted to escape in the ensuing chaos."  
  
Lorna still looked angry, but also curious.  
  
"What happened? Did you get the mutant."  
  
Alex smiled and raised a fist, making it glow with his energy, letting the action speak for itself.  
  
Lorna smiled as well, her nostrils flaring slightly, and her eyes narrowing.  
  
Alex knew that look, he knew it well. He had a second to brace himself before Lorna seized him in a magnetic grip and pulled him towards her embrace.  
  
As she bit lower lip Alex wondered if he would actually be able to manage to have wild animal spontaneous sex three times in an hour.  
  
x--------------------- -------x  
  
The very air around him brimmed with power. Sinister could feel it, it was almost tangible. The way this boy's strength was growing it would not be long before he attracted the notice of Apocalypse. In fact, Sinister wasn't too certain whether Apocalypse already knew. This was the paramount reason he had to move along with his plans more rapidly than he would have wished. Sinister had to train the boy. The fact that he despised Apocalypse was already there. The boy had seen the suffering that people went through at the hands of Apocalypse. The needless deaths of the multitude of humans that still remained. His young impressionable mind had been disillusioned at a very early age. Sinister also knew that while he remained with Forge and his band Nate would never leave. Sinister would have to break those ties, and fast. Forge had thought that he was hiding his growing affection for the boy, but Sinister was a low level telepath. He knew what Forge was thinking, the mutant not having shielded his thoughts. Another reason for Sinister to remove Nate. If he tarried too long, Forge might resist him, and Sinister had no wish to kill someone as useful and potentially brilliant as Forge.  
  
Sinister stopped walking and gazed at his reflection. Or rather Essex's reflection. Essex was a fairly handsome fellow, with a small goatee, a straight and thin nose and clear eyes. He had fine eyebrows over a slightly jutting brow. His finely kept hair fell in waved down to his shoulders. All in all, Essex cut quite a fine pose.  
  
Sinister changed his appearance to his normal one for a second. The infinitely familiar pale face appeared, with the ruby red diamond shining in the center of his forehead. The eyebrows were no longer so fine. Instead they now jutted almost threateningly over his brows. His finely kept hair was now long and wild. Sinister still looked distinguished, but in a more 'sinister' way.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
Sinister turned quickly, angry at himself for indulging in such shameless vanity. A few feet above him floated Soaran, with a bewildered look on his face.  
  
"Essex? What is this? Who the hell are you?"  
  
Sinister snarled softly, then answered.  
  
"I'm the last thing you'll ever see you annoying little bird. Your type of mutant is defunct, and abomination to this fine race. Your genes will not be needed."  
  
Sinister raised a hand and a bolt of energy leapt out and struck Soaran. Soaran screamed in rage and pain and fell to the ground, one of his wings smoking.  
  
"NO!"  
  
Sinister turned and saw the massive Brute charge into him. As Brute carted him away on his shoulder and flung him away, Sinister thought of how much fun he was going to have in killing these two worthless excuses for living beings.  
  
Brute smashed Sinister into a tree with all his might, causing the tree to fall backwards, half shattering the trunk with the force of the impact. Sinister fell to the ground, and Brute crowed with glee at having vanquished him.  
  
"Not quite so fast my friend."  
  
Brute turned in shock to see Sinister get up, with no signs of damage on any part of his body.  
  
"It will take more than simply sheer brute strength to beat me." Saying so Sinister held out both his hands and blew apart the top of Bruce's body. Sinister smiled slightly pleased with his handiwork. Suddenly something struck him from behind. Sinister flew through the air and skidded to a stop a few feet from the lake. He clutched the grass in anger. He was getting sick of being thrown from one side of the bank to the other.  
  
He turned around, standing up in the same motion, alarming Soaran who backpedaled at the sudden movement.  
  
"Die, you annoying little fly." With that Sinister blew Soaran's head off. Sinister stood watching his fallen opponents and then turned and walked away.  
  
From across the lake Sonique watched in horror as Sinister walked away after killing her two friends. In rage she began to run, wanting to reach Sinister and kill him. Before she could move more than two steps a strong hand gripped her arm.  
  
"Hold, Therese."  
  
She turned and saw Forge standing behind her, his metallic hand having caught her in a vice like grip.  
  
"It would be pointless trying to fight him, he'd just kill us all. No. He wants Nate, and after this he might decide it's time to take Nate away, for good. He'll probably kill us then. I've been working out a strategy to make sure that he doesn't get to Nate. I'll need your co-operation."  
  
Therese stopped struggling and nodded, her eyes taking a vindictive gleam.  
  
x------------------------------ ---------x  
  
"It is beginning." Holocaust looked up from where he was staring. He had been sitting still for hours, and was getting sick and tired of doing nothing. After calling a small council in which to discuss the day's events, Apocalypse had dismissed everyone but War, Plague and Holocaust. After a small pause, Apocalypse had ordered Plague to take three hundred Infinites and go and cull the whole of what had once been California. Holocaust had almost yelled out his displeasure, but had then reconsidered. Apocalypse had said that he, Holocaust, would also be sent to cull a region. He had not contradicted that statement yet. If Plague were to do Holocausts task, then Apocalypse would have said so. The fact that he hadn't stayed Holocaust. After doing that Apocalypse had told War to go and supervise the training of five hundred new Infinites, recently arrived from the processing plants. After that Apocalypse had sat in his throne, and remained seated. Holocaust had sat in his own smaller throne, and waited. After almost three hours Apocalypse had spoken.  
  
"What is?"  
  
Apocalypse turned to look at Holocaust.  
  
"The beginning of the End, Holocaust. What has now been set in motion can never be stopped. My plans are beginning to take fruition. Whatever now happens, nothing can change it."  
  
Apocalypse stood and walked to a monitor.  
  
"The Human High Council is on its last legs. Death shall soon have accomplished what I sent him there for. Plague goes to exterminate the humans on the west of this continent. You shall exterminate the ones in the north. Go. Take a few hundred Infinites. Take two Prelates as well."  
  
Holocaust looked at Apocalypse with a growing sense of expectation.  
  
"Where shall I begin?"  
  
Apocalypse looked at his map, and pointed out a random spot.  
  
"There. In what once was Detroit. Destroy that first. My Madri have found that there are many human refugee camps nearby that region. Find them, annihilate them."  
  
Apocalypse walked back to his throne and sat again. Holocaust bowed slightly and walked out. He had his orders.  
  
===============  
  
Well, that's that for this chapter. What do ya think? Next part promises plenty of action, so don't worry about it getting slow. The action packed chapters are coming up now.  
  
Oh, and my muse came back for all of one day, and I managed to write a bit. Only two more chapters for me to write. 


	7. Haunted: Everybody's Fool

Well, here it is. The next part of the two-part chapter known as Haunted. The chapters just get longer and longer after this. I'm halfway through the next chapter of this story, and after that I've just got the finale left, as well as the epilogue, but I know what happens in those. Just have to get through this chapter.   
Just like Peter Jackson, I've written this fic, and the fic before this just for the last chapter of this fic. The first was written as a stand-alone at first, but by the end it changed.   
Well, it spawned this.   
P.S: thanks for the reviews jukebox; you've got one for every chapter. It does keep one going. When I first began writing, I never realized how motivating reviews were. Thanks for making me see that jukebox.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the X-men, AoA or anything else that Marvel owns. I do own some Externals and some prelates.   
  
  
Haunted Part Two: Everybody's Fool 

  Logan unsheathed his claws, his mind reeling from the familiarity of the woman standing in front of him to the friend who he knew to be dead. 

"Carol… no! Carol Danvers is dead! She died with the Avengers…"

Logan couldn't believe what his eyes and nose were telling him. This woman in front of him looked like Carol, she even smelled like Carol… but it was impossible.

"I'm very much alive Logan. I don't know how, but I managed to survive the blast, and escaped from another route."

Logan's eyes widened and he sheathed his claws.

"Well, I'll be damned."

Then he laughed and ran forward and Carol enveloped her old friend in a hug. 

 "Logan… what happened to your hand?"

They were all sitting in Carol's makeshift home. Kitty was fascinated by Carol Danvers. The woman was a legend, like much of the Avengers were. The woman also exuded power and hope. The fact that one of the Avengers had survived the titanic battle in Asia was a shining beacon of hope in itself. 

 Logan looked at the stub of metal that was his right hand. 

"Been like this for a while now Carol. Got blown off by Cyclops a long time ago."

Carol stared at his hand, and then at his face.

"I hope you gutted him good."

Logan smiled in a feral manner, "Actually the kids still alive. At the time I only handed him his greatest defeat. Now, he's with us."

Carol stared.

"Cyclops is with you? Wasn't he one of the Prelates?"

"Actually he was High Prelate, and he's now with the X-men. He's leading a mission to the Sea Wall," Betsy answered Carols question.

Carol was surprised by this. She was even more surprised when she heard of the Horsemen.

"They ride again? Son of a bitch."

Logan nodded grimly.   
Suddenly he looked up.

"Who's that?"

The others turned to see a wizened old gnome of a person sitting on the steps leading down to the carols room. He was dark skinned, with sparse white hair growing on his cheeks and jaw. His eyes were however almost milky white. 

"Oh, that's just Gateway. He doesn't talk much, but he's been my only companion for a long time."

 Logan stared at the small man, and then at carol.

"You mean you've been here all this time?"

Carol nodded.

"Why didn't you leave? Go somewhere else?" Rumik was surprised.

"Go where? I've been here for the last few years, and I've lived peacefully enough."

Kitty looked at Carol angrily.

"You could have helped us fight Apocalypse. For years now the X-men have been the only real threat to Apocalypse, fighting him on every turn. Only recently our whole base was destroyed, and two of the X-men were killed!"

Carol looked stubbornly at Kitty, "I made up my mind a long time ago. What's the use of fighting? All the Avengers did, and look what happened! They all died, every single one of them. What could I, alone, do?"

Logan shook his head, "Maybe you would have done nothin, maybe somethin, but you coulda tried Carol. Still, I ain't here to assign blame. We need to get to London as soon as possible Carol. Moira's expectin us. I'd hate ta disappoint her."

"London? That's a long way from here Logan. It'd take you weeks, unless you had some transport."

Logan sighed, "I was kinda afraid you might say that."

Carol watched him for a while, then turned away. 

"I'm sorry we weren't of any help. You're welcome to stay as long as you like."

Logan watched Carol retreat, wondering why he had this nagging feeling that Carol wasn't telling him everything.

  The attack came fast. Even though it wasn't completely unexpected, Logan was still unprepared. The shock of meeting Carol, and the fact that he had failed his mission was something that had jarred Logan deeply. With Shiro gone out to reconnoiter, they had been one mutant short. If he had been there…

 Colossus changed into his steel form immediately, grabbing two Reavers in his fists. Logan snarled and jumped another Reaver, hacking at its body with his claws. Shadowcat phased quickly, using her own claws to deal maximum damage when solid. Psylocke and Rumik worked in tandem, Rumik using her powers to shape the battlefield around them, forcing the Reavers into unfavorable positions, and making it easier for the X-men in general, and Psylocke in particular to fight against the overwhelming odds. 

 Weapon X slashed through another's body, dropping the cyborg. However there were twenty more where he had come from. Weapon X grimaced. There were limits to what he could do, and fighting off Reavers that numbered twenty times more than his own team would be impossible. Colossus was fighting off a little over ten of them, each shooting and tearing at Colossus's body. As Weapon X watched in fear and anger, Colossus was brought crashing down by the Reavers. 

 At that point Carol leaped into the fray, pulling off four of the Reavers attacking Colossus. She pulled out her guns and began firing, hitting each Reavers eye with deadly accurate aim. The remaining Reavers quickly turned, surprised at the new threat. Carol stood her ground as half the Reavers attacking the X-men swiftly came up in formation against her and began moving forward. Carol calmly pulled out a grenade and pulled the pin and threw it at the Reavers heading for her. The cyborgs jumped to the side, to avoid the deadly pineapple shaped object. Five Reavers went down, their bodies mangled and torn.   
Logan smiled in satisfaction and leapt forward, hacking at another Reaver.  
Suddenly the sound of booted feet hitting the ground came. Logan turned and say Pierre moving towards Carol at breakneck speed.  
 "Carol! Behind you!" Logan yelled out, and then quickly threw the Reaver he was fighting off the building. He ran towards Carol and Pierre.  
Carol turned, and Pierre's clawed hand just missed her face. 

 "A pleasure to meet you. Carol Danvers isn't it?"  
Carol smiled back at the cyborg and put her gun to his head. Pierre put his hand up at the same time and it changed form, from claw to cannon.  
 "It appears we are at a bit of a stalemate."

Carol kept her gun to his head.  
Logan paused, knowing there was nothing he could do.  
Behind him the fighting had stopped. The Reavers and the X-men had both backed off, eyeing each other warily.  
 "My Lord Apocalypse knew that some X-men would try to contact London, though he wasn't sure where from. I figured patrolling the outskirts of Wundagore might help, an intuition that proved to be fruitful. Even if you kill me now Ms. Danvers, I'll take you out as well. My Reavers outnumber the X-men by more than ten to one. Even with their vaunted strength, the X-men won't survive. Whole armies fell before our might, what are a few X-men?"

 Carol only pressed her gun harder against Pierre's face.  
 "I see… we have to do this the hard way. Very well then…"

 Logan tensed, and Pierre suddenly leaped upwards. Carol shot at him just as he shot at her. Her bullet struck Pierre in the chest, while his cannon, the shot deflected by Carols hit, hit her arm, shredding it. Carol fell to the ground, while Pierre fell off the building, yelling.  
 The Reavers attacked en masse, swooping towards the X-men. Logan ran forward to meet the attack, while the X-men held their ground.  
 Suddenly a huge portal opened up in front of the Reavers, who unable to stop in time ran into it. The portal closed over the last of the Reavers, and disappeared.  
 Logan whipped around to see Gateway, the aborigine mutant standing at the top of a flight of stairs, looking sorrowfully at Carol lying on the ground.   
 "Carol!" Logan ran forward and turned Carol, who was clutching her arm. It had been torn, almost to shreds by Pierre's cannon.   
 "This is not good." Logan looked up at Kitty standing there, "She's lost a lot of blood."  
Gateway looked at Logan angrily.

Logan got up and walked to him, "I'm sorry about this Gateway. She was my friend too. I hate to say this, but she may not survive. She's lost too much blood."

 Gateway looked at Logan angrily for a few more seconds and then shrugged, his look of anger melting away to be replaced by sorrow. Logan sat next to the diminutive mutant.   
 "It's not over yet X-men!"

Logan looked up in shock, as Pierre appeared, both his hands now cannons. His chest was bleeding… and he was flying, on rocket propelled boots.  
 "Did you think the leader of the Reavers, their creator, would die this easily? Please… Give me some credit."

He began firing. Logan grabbed gateway and dived to get behind cover. Kitty phased behind some machinery, while Helena and Betsy got behind cover as well.   
 Colossus stood his ground and began walking towards Pierre, his body managing to withstand the heavy assault.   
 "Oh, so you wanna play tough guy huh? Eat this!"

Pierre's cannon hand transformed again into some sort of weapon with a glowing tip. Logan knew this could only be bad news. The tip charged up and sent a glowing ball of energy Colossus's way. Colossus was sent flying by the weapon, reverting to his human form.   
 "Peter!" Kitty came out from under cover, her eyes wide with fright.  
 "Katya, no…" Peter cried out, but Pierre had already fired. Kitty leapt aside, and the blast just missed her, hitting the machinery she was hiding behind, which exploded, sending Kitty flying. 

Logan ran out, leaping for Pierre. Too late. Pierre turned and shot Logan as well, hitting him point blank. Logan fell to the ground, his entire body aflame with pain. The blast had done something to him. Arcs of electricity crawled along his body.   
 "Do you like this weapon X-men? Created by the Beast for me. It's something of an ion cannon, with a heat wave blast. It sets off all the nerve ends in the body. Very useful, don't you think?"

 The X-men began running, as Pierre began firing. He had soon destroyed nearly all the available cover in the area.   
 "Over here, you monster!" Pierre stopped laughing and looked to the side, only in time for Carol to jump onto him.   
 "You act so uppity. It's time to die, asshole."

Carol pulled the pin of her grenade and shoved it into Pierre's mouth. She then jumped off Pierre, and fell down the side of the building. Pierre just managed to spit out the grenade when it blew up, right in front of his face. He didn't even have time to scream.  
 The X-men watched as Pierre was engulfed in flame. His hand came flying out of the explosion, the ion cannon still sparking. Logan stood up finally, still jerky from the pain. Behind him Kitty and Betsy helped Peter stand. They looked at the place Carol had jumped. Then they heard a thump behind them. Carol had fallen to the middle of the floor, from a portal above them. Gateway came and stood next to his friend. Carol said something to him as the X-men hurried over.   
 Logan reached down and cupped her cheek.  
 "I'm dying Logan. Don't have too much time to live. I figured, if I have to die, might as well die fighting… It's been a while since I had this much fun. Thanks for making me remember what it was like to live Logan… I managed to convince Gateway to send you to London, as a parting gift from me... See ya 'round, buddy."

Carol fell limp in Logan's hands. He slowly brushed her eyes closed.

 "Yeah, see ya 'round… buddy."

He got up from the now dead woman.   
 As he stood there was a whooshing sound. Out of the sky Shiro came down, all aflame. As he landed he looked sorrowfully at the body of Carol Danvers.   
 "I am sorry X-men. The Reavers… they ambushed me, knocked me down. I have failed you…." Shiro looked down, the flames covering his body subsiding.   
 "Not yet, Shiro. She saved us all. And she may have saved this mission as well." Shiro looked up at him in confusion. Logan turned to the aborigine.  
 "Gateway?" The mutant looked up and nodded. He spun his staff and then a portal opened.

 "Come on X-men. Time to get on to London."

The X-men looked puzzled, but then their faces cleared and they nodded. As they walked in, Kitty paused and kissed Gateway on the forehead.  
 "Thanks mister. You're a real hero."  
Gateway looked surprised, but gratified.  
Logan was the last to go in. he turned to Gateway.   
 "She was a great woman huh?" Gateway looked at Carol and nodded.  
 "Thank you, my friend. Maybe once this war's over… I'll come here as well. It's the sort of place I'd like. Peaceful. Thanks again bub, jus' don' expect me to kiss you."

Gateway nodded solemnly, and Logan walked into the portal.

                                                           x------------------------x

 Remy stood stiffly at guard. This was ridiculous. He had been standing here for nearly fifteen minutes, and Apocalypse had yet to arrive. He didn't know whether the big mutant had no idea of what time was, or he was deliberately toying with his subordinates. Remy would have done the latter at one time. Now, he found nothing amusing. Even Candra had been strained at having to have her entire guard in the council room, but Apocalypse, or rather Holocaust had insisted. Candra had an almost intrinsic fear of Holocaust. Remy flinched at the sight of the man himself. Back when he and Magnus had been friends, he had helped Magnus in overcoming Holocaust; Nemesis as he had been known back then. Magnus had been responsible for Nemesis's destruction, and the result of Holocaust; the living energy that now comprised Nemesis, kept inside a containment suit.   
 Now, the massive son of Apocalypse stood next to Apocalypse's floating throne, staring down at the rest of the assemblage. The Prelates had arrived at the same time as a man in a cloak, who had revealed himself to be Sebastian Shaw. Remy had spent enough time around Emma to know that Shaw had to be dead, yet the man stood before him, garbed in a leather overcoat over a black tunic and pants. He seemed to be trying to achieve an aura of subtle menace. Remy had to admit that he very nearly succeeded. The Prelates had arrived just behind Shaw. Remy had been surprised to see the amount of Prelates, even after spending all the last months at the Tower, he had still not seen all the Prelates at one time. Havok and Deathbird led them, as the High-Prelate and Arch-Prelate respectively. Remy soon realized that Deathbird was not a human, or a mutant. In fact she seemed to be alien. Then again, maybe it was a mutation that made her so. Remy had not given her more thought than necessary for his plans. Behind them fell in the Prelates, Erik the Red; a Prelate garbed entirely in red, the Bedlam Brothers; now those two Remy might have even liked in other circumstances, Quja and Lumina, as well as Polaris, Havok's girlfriend.   
 The Prelates barely paid him any attention, for which Remy was glad. Holocaust had barely given him a cursory glance, seeming only to make sure that they were properly positioned and attired. Candra sat to Remy's left. She was consistently watching Remy. However her glances were surreptitious, and Remy only saw them due to his own skill at watching sneakily. Exodus had given him and all his team a glaring stare, and then gone back to his contemplation of the roof. He gave the impression of being bored out of his mind. That may be true, it may not be, but Remy knew that Exodus was always watching, always waiting. Another tid-bit from Emma.   
 Sammael had seemed to ignore them completely, but Remy was sure that the External had seen and committed everything to memory. Of all the Externals, Sammael and Sinister had always been the two most dangerous. Sammael was perhaps second only in power to Apocalypse and Holocaust, although the appearance of the horsemen might have shifted that balance of power slightly.   
Remy had yet to see any of the horsemen in action, which he wasn't exactly to keen on anyway. On a holivid, Rasputin waited expectantly. He had been connected to the room from the Sea Wall control tower. Remy studied his face carefully. Rasputin looked almost nothing like his brother, in fact, he now looked very little like he himself had looked ten years ago. His face was part metal, part flesh, with some armor to cover the fleshy bits. Unlike Piotr the metal in his skin was something he had done on purpose, in order to increase his concentration… Remy wasn't too sure. He had been busy suckling Candra's breast to pay attention to what was being said. At least the sex was always good. Candra could turn him on, much to his disgust, faster than any woman barring Rogue and Belladonna. Something about Candra struck him at a very primal level. 

 He shifted his weight to his other leg. 

What the hell was taking Apocalypse so long? Remy wondered. He could gleefully murder to get out of standing here. A sure of panic hit Remy, what if Apocalypse caught him out? What if one of the Prelates recognized him? Remy reached into his anger and rage and calmed himself. All the betrayals, the injustices committed to him and his loved ones; they had all served to forge Remy a new, harder soul. An all-consuming promise had consumed him. A promise made a long time ago, on a night when the sky had rained fire, and his home had been destroyed. His life had been destroyed, taken away from him by Sinister and Candra. He looked up at Candra, sitting in her throne and observing the doors which led to Apocalypse's inner sanctum. A spasm shook him, but he quenched it. He hated her… her and Sinister. Above and beyond all else he hated them. One of his fellow guards looked at him. Remy stared ahead again, cursing himself. * Cool it Lebeau. Dese guards… dey won' hesitate t betray ya. Focus on ye task man. *

  After what had seemed an interminable time, the heavy doors opened and Apocalypse strode out, followed by the gleaming beauty and perfection of War. Plague had left a day ago, taking almost a tenth of the tower's total forces with him. The fact that thousands would die because of Plague had not affected Remy so much. Thousands died every week. He couldn't change it. Those foolish X-men may try all they could, but Remy had faced facts. Apocalypse ruled this world, and he would continue to do so. The only thing Remy now had to do was kill Sinister and Candra. From what he had seen, he might even be doing Apocalypse a favor.   
 Apocalypse walked straight to his throne and sat down. As his gaze took in all his higher levels of command, Remy forced himself not to flinch. Not much chance of Apocalypse recognizing him, but Remy was still nervous. He fought an instinctive urge to cower. Such was Apocalypse's presence.   
 The large mutant leaned back slightly.   
 "Report."  
 A booming sound, Apocalypse's voice was enough to cause most people to pee their pants.   
 A man scurried over to him. Remy recognized him as a Madri. He wasn't sure what they were. Each was exactly the same, and each was infinitely loyal to Apocalypse. He had thought they were clones, but then he had thought why would Apocalypse clone people who were so normal? The Madri had no powers at all. At least none that Remy could determine. They mostly performed menial tasks around the Tower.   
 "Sire, recently we have lost all contact with Pierre or the Reavers. Also, the Reavers jumped location just before we lost contact."

Apocalypse looked more fully at the Madri, "What exactly do you mean, jumped location?"

The Madri flinched, as well he should Remy thought sardonically.  
 "One moment they were near the Slavic region, the next they were somewhere in the middle of Africa."

Apocalypse sat back again.   
 "What mutant has the power to teleport a hundred Reavers thousands of miles in an instant?"

War spoke then, "No mutant on our records has that power Milord."

Apocalypse nodded then turned to the Madri.   
 "Strange… I do not like strange things. Perhaps they have managed to craft some sort of teleportation device… hmm."

Then he raised his hand and the next second the Madri was on the ground, his upper body a smoking crater. Remy nearly gagged.   
 "I dislike the loss of a tool as powerful as my Reavers… Go on."  
 Another Madri approached the throne cautiously and stood nervously.  
 "There has been a mysterious surge of power near the tip of what was once Portugal."

 Apocalypse gestured to the large monitor bank at the far end of the room.   
 "Show me."

Another Madri standing by the monitor bank went and turned on the largest.   
 It came to life showing a large map of the world. There were lines and grids drawn across it. There were small glowing areas everywhere in the map, except in Asia and most of Europe. The area where the Tower should be glowed very brightly. He guessed it had to do with mutants. He wondered why Apocalypse had not used this before to stop rebel mutants? Maybe they were shielded from it, like the Hybrid and Muir isle had been. Near the tip of Portugal a blip appeared suddenly, moving slowly towards a large construct that Remy realized was the Sea Wall command center. Who could that be? The X-men?

 The map focused on the blip and enlarged that portion. This time readings came on the top left of the map. Remy tried to make sense of them, but to him they were mostly gibberish.   
 As he looked away, he happened to glance at Sammael. The external was gripping his throne, and his eyes had widened.   
 "Impossible!" Apocalypse had stood up. War seemed taken aback. Candra's eyes had widened.   
 What was this? This was interesting.  
 Apocalypse turned towards Sammael, his eyes flashing.   
 "How is he alive? He is supposed to be dead." Remy flinched this time. Apocalypse looked pissed. Suddenly Apocalypse turned and fixed a glare on the poor Madri who had brought him the news.

 "When did this happen?"

The Madri cowered back, "about an hour ago Lord."

 "And you chose to tell me this now!" This time he grabbed the Madri, his hands growing in size, until the Madri was hidden between them. Then his hands glowed briefly. When he opened his hands, there was nothing left of the Madri. Remy felt sick. 

 "Sammael! Halfbane is heading for the Sea Wall. Go there, and Stop Him! Now!"

Sammael nodded and stood up.   
 "At once." He turned and walked out of the hall.   
 Apocalypse sat on the chair again.

  "I dislike this set of circumstances. My Reavers dead, the X-men on the move, and the return of Halfbane."

Remy wondered who the hell Halfbane was.

 "Time moves on. However time is something I have in abundance, and one thing my enemy's lack. Holocaust."

 Holocaust looked at Apocalypse.

 "Go now. Take Infinites with you. Cull the strong from the weak."

 Holocaust nodded and walked away, and Remy could have sworn there was a bounce to his step.     
 "Rasputin. Be wary.  Halfbane is heading for you. Do not try to face him in single combat; otherwise he will rip you apart. Utilize the defenses, and concentrate them on any mutant above alpha level. This mutant is as beyond you as you are beyond the flatscans. Wait until Sammael comes before you engage him. Understand this. I want him killed."

 Rasputin looked slightly intimidated, although it was hard to tell with all the armor on his face. He nodded however and his hologram vanished.   
 "As for the rest of you. Prepare our defenses. At this point nothing must go wrong, and I don't want to face any setbacks due to incompetence. This council is dismissed. Shaw, come with me."

 Remy saw Shaw follow Apocalypse and War as they disappeared behind the large double doors.  
 "Most fascinating, wouldn't you say my dear Candra?"  
 Exodus walked up to Candra as the Prelates walked out, talking amongst themselves.   
 "Whatever do you mean Exodus? Surely not this Halfbane nonsense?"

Exodus smiled thinly.

 "Don't act right now Candra. Halfbane is real, and he's a threat to us. You know it, and I know it. Sammael has probably already gone off his rocker. He always hated his brother."   
 Brother? This was news to Remy, who began listening more intently.  
 "Oh please, Bennet. Nidlen was never any trouble. Besides, I always liked him more than Sammael. Kar'Toman was always too intense." At Exodus's raised eyebrow she smiled slightly.   
 "Not that Nidlen wasn't either. But Kar'Toman… he's far more than Nidlen. Plus, Nidlen was better looking than his brother."

Exodus smiled again as Candra walked past.

 "Halfbane swore to kill all of us, you know that Candra."

 Candra just smiled at Exodus again as she walked out, Remy and the rest of her guard following her.

                                                                   x--------------------x

Nate sat in front of the fire, watching the embers of an older fire spark slightly. Bored, he began to lift them with his powers, making them dance around. He lifted another few, and began revolving them around the fire, making it seem as though they were little satellites. He lifted more, embers still smoking and began revolving them faster, making it seem as though a thin line of smoke was trailing around the fire. He smiled slightly; at least wth powers like his he was never bored. In the last few days his powers had grown with leaps and bounds. It must have been Essex. The mutant had begun to teach him how to use his powers, encouraging him how to use them to manipulate objects as small as air molecules, and lift objects as heavy as the giant redwoods that surrounded the region they were in at the moment.   
 However, he worried about Therese. She had become more morose since the disappearance of Soaran and Brute. Nate didn't really miss them that much. However he barely knew them. Out of all the mutants in their little band he was close to Forge and Therese. Even Essex was just a mentor, and that too temporary. Forge seemed preoccupied lately as well. Maybe it was just as well. Nate was very fond of Forge, but Essex had taught him how to do so much more with his powers. He began to float, and smiled. This was perhaps the most useful of the powers that Essex had taught him. He could fly! He had managed to do it once before, when he had escaped, when the mutant in Sinister's lab had helped him escape. He had not managed to do it since then, however. Now Essex had taught him how to utilize his powers, and had hinted that he had not even begun to explore the scope of his powers. Nate almost shuddered when he tried to contemplate how powerful he could be. He was already the most powerful mutant in the little caravan of theirs. Even Forge had dropped hints, inadvertently, of how powerful Nate could someday be.   
 Nate had a lot to owe to Essex. However something about the man tended to throw Nate off a bit. He didn't feel very comfortable around him. It was a pity, but it was true. Nate wondered why, then decided it was probably because Essex kept him himself so aloof. Everybody else was so open compared to him.   
 He got up, making the embers drop. He sensed that Therese was coming, and the thought seemed to make him feel as though butterflies were dancing in his stomach. Ever since she had forced her way into his life by the lake, he had found her to be a source of fascination. The way her hair bounced when she walked, the enchanting gleam of her eyes when she was angry, the way her lips pouted when she was angry. She was beautiful, and infinitely precious to him. He wasn't sure what he felt for her, but her nearness not only calmed him down, but also excited him. At times when he saw her looking at him the lower part of his anatomy would become aflame, making him feel warm and aroused. Nate looked around, and finally spotted her coming towards him, running. Nate laughed as he saw her, and she smiled at him as well, and slowed down. However even from this distance Nate could tell something was wrong. Her smile was forced. Nate grimaced. Lately, she had seemed so bitterly angry, and yet tried to keep a positive outlook on things. Or at least, pretended to. Nate didn't have total control of his powers yet, but from what he could tell, Therese was greatly troubled. She was a good actress though. If not for his powers he may not have guessed at her trouble so easily. 

 Still, he was determined to cheer her up. She had done so for him, and he wanted to do the same for her. As she came close enough he slipped an arm around her.

                                                     x-----------------------x

 Forge walked more sedately across the field. Therese had not been happy about concealing Essex's treachery, but Forge knew that to warn Sinister about what he intended would be fatal. For what he wanted to do Forge would most likely die. He knew it and accepted it. He knew Magneto had arrived in Apocalypse's empire once again. He had corresponded with him, and alerted him to the presence of the boy. Magneto had been impressed by what Forge said, but still suspicious. Forge knew that Magneto had reason, but he had no intention of going back on his word.   
 A week ago, Forge was still weak. Now after spending enough time with the boy, Forge had to admit that he not only liked him, but also felt almost paternal affection towards the boy. Sinister had made a mistake in pushing him too far. He had been Sinister's pawn too long. It was time to make Sinister suffer as millions of others had suffered under him. He swore that Nate would live. Live free… or at least as free as was possible, and out of Sinister's machinations.   
 He looked ahead to see Nate and Therese hug. Nate whispered something in there's ear and she laughed. Real laughter. Forge was glad the two had managed to find happiness. There wouldn't be too much of it anymore.   
 "Forge." He turned surprised to see Essex standing there. Behind Essex were Toad and Mastermind.   
 "Essex." Forge greeted him civilly.   
 'Ah, young love. Isn't it wonderful? I always get pleasure out of seeing our youth so free and full of laughter. It's a sign that Apocalypse hasn't truly won yet."

Forge nodded, but inside he thought to himself that it was also a sign that Sinister had not won yet.   
 Essex smiled at him and went forward, then suddenly looked back at Forge.

 "I know what you are thinking Forge. And I don't intend to let you hand over my creation to those fools. He is my tool, to be wielded as I will." His face changed for an instant, a ruby diamond flashing on his forehead. Behind him, Forge heard Toad and Mastermind gasp.  
 Forge felt a surge of dread. The time had come to face off against Sinister. But he wasn't ready… not yet! And Sinister was telepathic? Damn. It was a wonder Forge wasn't already dead.

"NO!" Nate and Therese turned in surprise as Forge leapt forward, his right mechanical arm flexing and grabbing onto Essex's shoulder.   
 "Forge? What are -," Nate cut his sentence short as Sinister transformed and threw forge off himself as though he were a fly.   
 "Sinister!" Toad jumped in the air, as Mastermind began weaving his illusions.   
 Forge saw Sinister recoil as Masterminds illusions began to work. Then Sinister seemed to make a chopping movement with his fist and Mastermind flinched and drew back.   
 Toad fell from the sky like a torpedo smashing into Sinister's back. 

Sinister hit the ground hard. Toad leapt off him and jumped to the side of a caravan. His tongue snaked out and hooked onto Sinister's leg, pulling him up and slamming him into the ground. Forge created a massive gun and pointed it at Sinister.  
 "Die, you bastard!" He shot at him, the cannon's shot hitting Sinister in the chest. A surge of energy went up and down Sinister's body and he fell on his knees, screaming in pain.  
 "It's finished." With that Forge blew Sinister's head off.   
 "What the hell? That was Sinister!" Nate looked shocked and bitterly angry.   
Forge nodded gravely.  
 "Yes, my boy. He's been posing as Essex for a while now I gather. Or maybe, there never was any Essex. I do not know. What I do know is that he's not going to bother us anymore. He killed Soaran and Brute. I hope this appeases them." Forge let his hood slip back into place, and his gun merged with his mechanical arm.   
 "Come on Nate. No sense in tarrying. We have to go and join with the X-men."

 He turned and began to walk away, Nate and Therese following. Therese had a look of extreme satisfaction on her face.  
 Suddenly a slurping sort of sound was heard. Forge stopped, his eyes widening in horror.  
 "How foolish of you to believe me so easily vanquished Forge."  
Forge spun around, as did the rest of them. His cannon was already in his hand.   
 Sinister stood there, the living tendrils at his back fluttering agitatedly.   
 "I tire of playing games now."  
 Forge nodded grimly.  
 "As am I you monster. As am I."

Forge began shooting, high intensity beams that cut through Sinister's body, leaving burning holes that healed up almost immediately.   
 "This is pointless, and most aggravating Forge… be assured you will be punished most severely for this."

The part of Forge that had once been so scared of Sinister began to quake in fear, but forge kept on shooting grimly. * Damn it, he has to fall sometime. No one can withstand this! *

 Finally Sinister's body began dodging the blasts, even as he inexorably got closer to forge.   
 "Stay back, you bastard!" Sonique leapt into the fray, screaming until Forge felt her sonic scream in his own ears. Sinister began to grimace.   
 "Finally Sinister managed to dodge both the blast and the sonic scream, and finally let loose. His first blast caught Forge's weapon, making it explode and sending Forge flying. His second tore the ground in front of Sonique apart, sending Sonique to the ground as well.   
 He then turned his attention to Toad.   
 "Try this ugly!" Toad leapt up again, coming down on Sinister, taking him to the ground again. Except this time Sinister grabbed him before he could jump away again.   
 "You are perhaps the most useless mutant I have seen thus far. Genetic garbage."

Sinister then snapped Toad's neck, and flung him aside.

 "Perhaps discretion would be the better part of valor…" Mastermind began to side away from Sinister's field of vision. However the red-eyed gaze missed nothing and Sinister sent three blasts towards Mastermind, knocking him down.   
 "You have some potential… but even a second rate telepath could tear through your fabrications. I have no use of you either."

A massive blast sent Mastermind's carcass into a tree.   
  


 "Now, Forge." Sinister walked up to Forge, "it was perhaps my mistake in sending young Nate Grey here. After all, he can be endearing at times. As my creation, however he is mine to do with as I will. I saved you from Apocalypse's grasp you little maggot, and you repay me with betrayal? Most disappointing." Sinister grabbed Forge's head and lifted him with his hands on Forge's temple.   
 "Farewell Forge. We shall not meet again." With a sickening crunch Sinister crushed Forge's head.   
 "Forge! No!" Nate looked around in shock. In a matter of seconds Essex- no Sinister had killed all of his friends, ad the one person Nate had looked up to the most. However it was the knowledge that Sinister had made forge look after him that stunned Nate the most. He had been too shaken to do anything. It took Forge's death for him to come to his senses. He looked at his hands, and felt his left eye flash as his hands began glowing with psionic energy.

 "Sinister!"

Sinister looked up at Nate.   
 "Don't be foolish boy. I taught you all that you know. You haven't mastered your powers yet. You aren't even close to realizing their full potential. I am the only one who can do that. I know everything that you can do, and I had mastered my own talents over a century ago. You are no match for me. Not yet. In time you will be able to stand against even Apocalypse. For now you are simply a little boy, one who doesn't fully understand his powers or this world that we live in."

 Nate snarled back, "I don't care Sinister. I only know that you're just as bad as Apocalypse, and I'm going to kill both of you." He took flight, hovering above Sinister.

 "And you're going to die right now!"

 He erected a sphere of pure psionic energy around him, and flew towards Sinister.   
 "Primitive…" Sinister dismissed Nate's accomplishment and sent a blast his way. The blast shattered Nate's field. Nate was so surprised he began to fall, losing his control. He hurriedly regained it, and managed to keep himself in the air.   
 "How… how id you shatter my shield? It's supposed to be indestructible, you said so yourself!"

 Sinister smiled slightly.   
 "You are mistaken boy. I said that at your full strength you would be able to make nigh invulnerable psionic shields. For now you are simply making basic shields that moderately strong blasts would shatter. You never did pay too much attention during my training anyway."  
 Nate got up, his left eye still flashing.

 "Decease from this pointless fighting Nate. I will win in the end anyway. I can offer you training to your hearts desire. Then, you will be able to fight against Apocalypse, and very possibly even beat him. You genetic make-up is the perfect one, the epitome of what a mutant should be. I took your parents genes and mixed them, in vitro of course, although I doubt that that would be the case now… and the result was you."  
 Nate listened to him, teeth bared in anger, and fists clenched. However he listened on. Maybe he'd get the chance he needed soon.  
 "Now stop this nonsense Nate, and come along."

 "Never!" Nate looked around in surprise as Sonique ran past him, opening her mouth and letting loose with a very powerful sonic scream. Sinister staggered back from the assault, but seemed none the worse for wear. Then Sinister struck back. As Nate watched horrified a blast came and slammed into Sonique, who was flung back with the impact, her neck snapping backwards. As she fell and her head lolled towards Nate, he saw that her body was smoking with residual energy, and her eyes were open blankly. Nate didn't need to check her pulse to know she was dead. He just knew, as though something in his mind had disappeared. He turned towards Sinister, his left eye now glowing so brightly Sinister had to narrow his eyes.   
 "That was the last mistake you'll ever make." Nate ran forward and smashed into Sinister. He lifted his hand and punched Sinister with psionic force adding to his own strength. Sinister's head snapped back, but seemed to flow back in the same movement. Nate punched him in the stomach and Sinister's stomach opened up to form a space for Nate's fist to go through.   
  "You had to do this the hard way, didn't you boy?"

 Sinister's own hand came forward to hit Nate's jaw with his palm. Nate staggered back and held his jaw, rubbing it slightly.   
 "Enough. It is past time to be gone."

 Suddenly a gun blast hit Sinister, knocking him back and burning off part of Sinister's hand.   
 Sinister gasped in agony and held his smoking hand. 

 "How can you live? I killed you!"

 Forge staggered forward, part of his head still crushed in.   
 "I'm almost half machine Sinister. My head was one of the first things that became mechanical, protecting my brain. You didn't do me too much damage, just inflicted a lot of pain."  
 Sinister's eyes narrowed further and the diamond on his forehead flashed.  
 "Then I should finish the job."

Forge smiled.   
 "Yes, Nate finish the job."

Sinister turned around and saw Nate hovering a few meters behind him.   
 "I can still do some things Sinister. I'll see you in hell, asshole."

Nate powered up and hit Sinister with such a powerful psionic blast that he himself fell back with the recoil.   
 Sinister smashed into a tree, much like Mastermind had, his upper body burned horribly.   
 Nate clenched his fists and his jaws. Suddenly the entire piece of earth on which Sinister stood lifted up in the air and slammed together in a maelstrom of psionic energy. When the energy dissipated a blackened and charred body fell to the ground, with the wispy tendril like cape writhing behind it.   
 "Impressive…lad." Forge fell to the ground.   
 "Forge!" Nate swooped down and knelt by his mentor and friend.   
 "How… you're dying." Nate stated almost in surprise.  
Forge smiled slightly.

 "Yes… I lied to Sinister. He did manage to crush part of my brain. It was only an act of desperation that I managed to live this long. I'm… surprised myself."  
 Nate hugged Forge.  
 "You…can't die Forge… no one's left now. No one I knew is left in this world."

 Forge smiled at the boy he almost considered his son.   
 "Everyone has to die Nate. It was just my time… search out Magnus. He will be able to help you… and remember… always. Never give in to Apocalypse. He made the world this way. It's him who will always be at fault. Don't give in to despair…. Kill Apocalypse. Sinister was right about one thing… you are the most powerful mutant who has ever existed Nate… I feel… no I believe…that you will bring about Apocalypse's doom. Be well Nate."

 Forge's eyes glazed over and he fell limp In Nate's hands. Nate bowed his head in sorrow. Then he looked up at the sky and screamed in rage and anger and loss, an animal cry bereft of almost any humanity.   
 Then Nate crumpled over the body of his closest friend and began to weep.  
  
                                                               x----------------x

  Night had fallen over the forest, and a small lizard scurried through the new furrow made by the four new graves. A booted foot came down upon the lizard.   
 "My, my. Isn't this interesting."  
 Sinister's head turned towards the voice.   
 "Candra… how nice of you to come."  
 Candra walked over to Sinister.  
  "My Nathaniel, you look so… broken. What happened?"  
 Sinister smiled tightly at her, his skin still healing.   
 "The boy got out of control. However all is still well. I can sense his resolve. He will come after Apocalypse. However he will probably do so with the X-men. A sad thing, but if anyone can keep him out of trouble, I suppose it will be Magnus. The only problem will be that he will not mesh well with the group. He is too raw from hurt, and still yearns for vengeance against Apocalypse for his life. I am dead to him; therefore his hatred now reaches out towards Apocalypse. My plans will come to fruition either way… Now have you brought me what I requested?"  
 Candra held out a small vial to him.  
  "I went to a lot of trouble for this Nathaniel. I do this only as far as our agreement goes."  
 Sinister smiled chillingly.

 "Yes, of course dear Candra. I personally feel it is a waste of genetic material. Then again, it is small loss compared to Nate. Remy is valuable to me, but not as much as Nate."

 Candra smiled back coldly.  
 "Then our business is concluded Nathaniel. Fare well."

 Candra turned and walked away, leaving Sinister still rapidly healing, gazing intently at the vial filled with Remy's blood.

 * Poor, Candra. You were always a victim of your emotions. You are blinded by your love. I am not done with Lebeau quite just yet. I will not have your infatuation stand in the way of my research… just as I have not let Apocalypse stand in my way either.  *

  
  
                                                 ========================

The start of the last four chapters next time. They're long. 10K words plus each of them. I'm going for 20K in the last chapter.   
Next: Plague rages, and Magneto finds himself again. Plus, Rogue has problems with her pregnancy. And the X-men under Logan and Scott get closer to their goals.   
  
Be back in a few days.   
  
 


	8. My Last Breath

 Okaayyyy then… Sorry about the long delay, but I found myself busier than expected with a rock concert (which I helped put up), a school play, (I work backstage), as well as my part time job, which expected me to write more than the usual quota of articles! And aside form that I began getting offers from universities, and had financial aid forms to fill and other things, and on top of all that I had to cram for tests and quizzes. Just because finals are coming doesn't mean the teachers should go all psycho on our asses….   
  
 Anyway, Thanks for all the cool reviews I've been getting. And don't worry, the action gets heavy here on out. The first of the last four chapters. The beginning of the end.   
  
Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer applies.   
  
  
My Last Breath 

  Rogue looked carefully over the debris scattered around the city. Once a proud utopian city of learning, Boston was now nothing but a wasteland. Rogue knew the street she was standing in. To the left of her was the famous school of learning, MIT, the Massachusetts institute of technology. Hailed around the world as being the best center for studies in the technological world. Now it was only more rubble in a city full of rubble.   
 She turned awkwardly. Her pregnancy was getting to be a problem; her ungainliness was troubling, especially when they wanted to remain low key. She sighed and placed her hand on the swelling. She was carrying the baby almost entirely in front of her. She thanked her accursed powers for her ability to carry them without any problems for her back. If she had not had partial super strength from her absorption of some mutant or the other, she would have been hobbled by an aching back.   
 She moved quickly around the area, skirting the debris on the ground. Magnus stood a few feet away, hands folded in front of him, surveying the region. Rogue came up behind him and placed her hands around his waist. Magnus sighed and relaxed, slightly, into her embrace.   
 "How are you feeling love?"  
 Rogue sighed and snuggled her face against his back.  
 "You've ahsked me that seven times in the last hour only Erik. Stop bein' so damned protective."

 Magnus turned and held her in his arms, tilting he chin up.  
 "That's because I'm in love with you darling. I have to be protective of you two. Aside from Pietro and Wanda, you're all I have."

 Rogue shook her head.

 "No Erik, you've got the X-men as well."

He nodded slightly. 

 "Yes, that is true," his voice changed then, "nothing to report from here?"

Rogue moved out of his arms and shook her head, becoming businesslike as well.  
 "Nothing. This city is pretty much deserted."

Magnus nodded and they turned to return to the Hybrid.

 "Father!" they saw a blur moving towards them, and then Pietro was standing there.  
 "Pietro… what is it?"

 Pietro stopped in front of them.  
 "We're picking up extremely high activity on the Hybrid's scanners. I think there's a culling going in the west… What had been San Diego to be precise."

 Magnus clenched his fists in anger, and Rogue mirrored the action. Sonovabitch. The culling had to be stopped. San Diego was very near one of the biggest human refugee camps.   
 "Let's return to the ship. We must stop this Culling."

Pietro nodded and was gone in a blur. 

 "Damn you Apocalypse. Is there no end to your bloodlust?" Then Magnus took flight. Rogue followed him.  

                                                                  x----------------------x

Logan ventured forward hesitantly. Gateway had delivered on his promise. It was too bad England was so flat. He could see around him for miles. However, over here there was nothing. At one time, this would have been a quaint road in the rural regions around London, with lush grassy fields. Now the grass was overgrown and the roads looked ill-used. Far away the broken city of London stood, a testament maybe to the Human High Council's weakening stand against Apocalypse. The dreaded master of the west had destroyed the one thing that could have kept the resistance against him strong. Hope.  
 "It's a sorry sight, isn't it Peter?"

 Peter walked up beside Logan and watched the dismal city.  
 "Da. This is not the London of the past."

 Logan shook his head slightly. He would have preferred being in the thick of it. Hell, he would have loved to have gone to the Sea Wall. He straightened himself though and pointed a thick finger at London.   
 "That's where we're going, an' there better be some friggin welcoming committee, or else I'm gonna be real pissed."

 "I'm pissed."

 There was no welcoming committee. Betsy and Helena looked around, Betsy's jaw clenched in a gesture Logan recognized as being one of her using her telepathic powers.  
 "Low key Betsy. Don't wanna alert the Sentinels or anything."  
 Betsy gave him a small smile of acknowledgment, but her jaw didn't relax.   
 Helen was crouched near the ground, staring straight ahead, one hand on the ground, resting palm down. A smart gesture, enabling her to be able to feel any opponent coming. A mark of the hunter. Logan's estimation of her rose. She was a capable woman. Then again she had been a Prelate under Apocalypse. Whatever he felt about the mutant, he had recruited some of the best in his Elite Mutant Force. And, Helena was not just a woman who was capable. She was a good person as well, trying her best to survive in this world. Plus she was probably the only thing keeping Betsy sane at the moment. Betsy had never been a very emotional woman, but her lack of response to her team's demise had been surprising. Until he realized that Helena was Betsy's replacement. It wasn't healthy, but Logan took what he got. There was no time to try and psychoanalyze Betsy… not that he was qualified at that.   
 Shiro… Logan knew he was flying around somewhere overhead, scouting the area. He wasn't going to join them in London, but appear if needed. They only had to call him. Logan wasn't too sure what to make of him. His name resounded in his memories, Yoshida, very like Yashida, the name of his one time love. Added to that was the fact that his sense of honor, something Logan respected greatly. However, for Shiro, honor seemed to be the only thing left. Honor and vengeance. While it ade sense to Logan, being around the X-men and Jean had changed his perspective slightly. Honor and vengeance were all well and good, but to have a life dominated by those two aspects… that was not healthy.  
  Kitty was leaning against Peter. Logan had a soft spot for Kitty. She had been like a little sprite, full of life and absolutely brilliant. Of course, the world had hardened her. However she had retained her sense of humor and was among the most balanced individuals Logan knew. Offhand Logan could only think of Ororo as being more balanced than Kitty.   
 He sniffed the area for a second. No one had even been here for a long time! They weren't early, he knew that, but they weren't all that late either. Just a little over an hour late, and from Logan's perspective that was damn good.   
 "We'll wait for a while. If no one arrives by then we go to London ourselves."

 Logan then sat down on a rock.  
  
                                                       x---------------------x

"Entering the outer limits of San Diego now." Magneto looked up. 

 "This is far enough Pietro. It is time to stop this war, end it once and for all. We'll start here."  
  
 The hybrid shuddered slightly as it halted. It floated above the ground for a few seconds and then Pietro's voice shook out of the cockpit.

 "I think you should all see this."

 The hybrid turned to the left and the cabin the X-men were in became lit with sunlight as part of the side of the Hybrid opened up, revealing a large glassy substance. Through the glass the X-men saw a nightmare.   
 Infinites filled the sky, raining down fire on the broken city below them. Intermittent fire rose from the city, blanketing the sky in smoke. Above the smoke circled a large transport ship. An Infinite transport ship.   
 "My God…" Bobby pressed his hands to the glass, "This is a big culling Magneto."

"It was a big camp Bobby." Magneto was sickened beyond belief. He had been witness to holocaust before, back when he had been a child in the concentration camps of Hitler, even during the Great War between Apocalypse and the Human's. However the cold-blooded murdering of innocents on such a Large scale was abhorrent. To think once he had believed in mutant rule. Magneto clenched his fist and squeezed his eyes shut. With one hand he lifted his black helmet and placed it on his head.   
 "Enough. Let's go. Now."

 The X-men began moving out. Rogue stopped at the doorway for a second hesitating. She pressed a hand to her belly and offered a small prayer, asking for her child's life to be spared. Then she flew out as well.

   Plague. Rogue knew it was him. She had this uneasy feeling in her stomach that reminded her of how she felt when she had first seen the horseman. She felt a bout of nausea threatening to overcome hr, but she forced the feeling down and looked around, attempting to find the horseman. Around her a full-fledged battle was taking place as X-man took on Infinite. Quicksilver and the Scarlet Witch had positioned themselves on a building from where they fought Infinites and helped the evacuation of the humans.   
 Iceman and Emma Frost had paired up, Emma tweaking his power psionically, allowing him to freeze a massive area, far more than his usual capabilities. The result of this was that some half a dozen Infinites were being struck down by massive spears of ice.   
 Blink and Sabretooth were paired up as well. Blink was using her powers effectively, teleporting them around to surprise attack infinites. However it wasn't easy going. Rogue winced as she saw banshee take a hard hit and fall to the ground. As two infinites swept in for the kill rogue landed in their way. Two sold punches and one of them was split n two, while the other slammed into a lamp-post and stopped moving, part of its body crackling.   
 "Thankee Rogue. They got me a wee bit hard that time."

 Rogue just gave him a thumbs up as she helped him stand. For the first time then someone noticed that Rogue was fighting in her condition.  
 Banshee frowned.  
 "Wait-a-minnit. Yoir fighting pregnant lass! That's unacceptable! What if ye were ta take a wrong turn by chance and hit yoir stomach? De ye even know the danger yoir putting yerself in?"  
 Rogue shook her head, "you know, you're the first to notice. But I have to fight Sean. If I sat this out, I wouldn't be able to live with myself."

Banshee stared at her for a long moment, then finally nodded.   
 "Jest be careful lass." Then he took to the sky. Rogue felt her stomach gingerly again, and then flew up as well. Suddenly a bony hand grabbed her arm.

 "Who…" Rogues questioning glare faltered as she came face to face with Apocalypse's horseman. Plague.  
 "Well, well, well. Isn't this interesting. A child lives in this one. Very risky my dear child, very risky."   
 Rogue struggled to free herself from his grip, but Plague was too strong. Rogue had seldom met mutants stronger than her. 

 "Let me go, ya piece of shit, and I'll show ya who's bein' risky."

Plague laughed, "Very feisty as well. You are feared by many of my master's forces as the life stealer, a vampiric mutant of sorts. I too have that ability… but you remember don't you Rogue?"

 Rogue felt herself begin to weaken as the horseman began using his powers.   
 "No!"

 Banshee slammed into the back of Plague, knocking Rogue free of the horseman's grasp.   
  "Take this ya bastard!" banshee let loose with a sonic scream enough to send even Plague reeling. The horseman shook its head.   
 "Some things even I cannot foresee." And then it moved, faster than Rogue could believe, slamming into Banshee with such force that she heard a rib crack.   
 Banshee bellowed in pain and fell to the ground at Plague's feet. Plague then jumped up, moving high enough to avoid Banshee's sweeping legs.    
 "It's useless Sean Cassidy. I know everything you do before even you think of it."

Banshee struggled to his feet and glared daggers at Plague.   
 "There is no way in hell you're leaving this place alive you scum. I promise you that."

"You are a fool Cassidy. You can do nothing to me."

Banshee jumped forward, his mouth open to deliver the sonic scream that he wanted to shred the horseman in two with.  
  


                                                             x------------x

    Erik the 'Red' watched from his perch in the transport ship. Traveling to San Diego with the horseman had been disconcerting. The horsemen were so single mindedly loyal to their master that Erik found it disturbing to sit next to one of them for any long period of time. In the periodical meetings Apocalypse called, Erik found it easier to bear the presence of the awesome horsemen, mainly because the other Prelates were there, and the events that took place in the meeting were usually enough to distract him from them. However now his increased awareness led to the horseman's presence dwarfing him. It took him a little while before he was capable enough to even begin mounting his own attack from the ship. While his heat rays were destructive, they paled in comparison to plagues power. The meta-mutant was able to drain life energy by means of simple contact, fire concussive blasts or energy seemingly generated by him, as well as being able to foresee the future. Because of this ability he was almost impossible to hit, his evasiveness being extremely high. Of course, that did not mean Plague was un-hittable. There were something's that even pre-cog's couldn't evade.  
 things had changed a lot since his return to Apocalypse's service. He had once been chief among the Prelates, however the battle in Asia had nearly killed him, and he had been left for dead. He had recovered though, and was able to find a human doctor to heal him. After killing the human Erik had sought out technology and changed his appearance. The near death experience had granted him a secondary mutation, the ability to sense others mutant powers. It had come in handy many times. However at times like this, when a meta-mutant was so near, Erik found it a hindrance. After weeks he had managed to arrange it so that he was found by the Bedlam brothers, two newly recruited Prelates of the Sea Wall. In time he had become Prelate again. However this time he was under the command of Deathbird, a non-mutant alien who had escaped to this world after her owns destruction. Erik knew Deathbird well. He was not sure what she was after, but it couldn't be anything good for Apocalypse. She had her own agenda, and working for Apocalypse was not on it. Erik and Deathbird had made their pact. They would help each other attain their goals, inasmuch as they did not interfere with their own. Erik only wanted one thing. Revenge against the man who had crippled him earlier. The wandering mutant known only as Bishop. The mutant had become caught up in the war, and Erik had gone up against him, haughtily taking him down from behind. However Bishop had only absorbed his energy and struck back, knocking him down. Erik had been confused, and due to that bishop had managed to take him down, crippling him. Thanks to his newly heightened senses Erik knew he was in the area. Perhaps he was the hiding with these lowly flatscans. He would not put it beyond the large black mutant.   
 In the screen he now saw Plague facing off against Banshee and Rogue. Erik pitied the two X-men. Plague would make short work of them.   
 Erik got up and stretched his arms. It was time for him to move down. He had to find bishop before the man ran away. He strapped on his armor and strode to the exit of the ship.   
 "Stay ready. We may be leaving shortly, as soon as the flatscans have been dealt with."

 The Infinite at the helm of the ship nodded.   
 Erik walked to the exit and jumped off, using his boots thrusters to remain aloft. He slowly descended his eyes searching for his foe.  
  
                                                                  x--------------x

  
Twenty Infinites surrounded Magneto. He looked to his left and then to his right. They had gone into circular formation around him, edging closer, blasters raining fire on him. A force shield of pure magnetic force protected him, but it was getting harder to hold it in place. However all Magneto was doing was waiting. Once the Infinites were close enough he would be able to take them all down in one fell swoop. As they came closer in the hope of knocking hi down Magneto began to concentrate. It would take extreme concentration to pull off his next move. A massive Electro-Magnetic Pulse would take all the infinites in the area down instantly, but it would also cause harm to everyone else in the vicinity, especially the humans. With hard concentration he could produce a controlled pulse, that would be minimized by the time it got to the rest of his team, or the humans. For that, the Infinites would have to be very close by. Otherwise it wouldn't hurt them much. He waited.  
Just a little closer.

Magneto smiled as the Infinites completely surrounded him.   
 "Sometimes I feel sorry for the fact that such genetic wonders as yourselves were limited to such small brains."  
He let loose, short-circuiting every single Infinite in the region immediately around him. As one the Infinites fell from the sky, smashing into the ground below, raising a cloud of dust. Magneto looked down pleased at his handiwork.   
 "HELP!" He turned and saw a small family humans being tracked down by five Infinites. His eyes narrowed in anger. Would the infinites never learn?  
  He swept towards them, clenching his fists in anger.  
 The infinites were yanked off the ground, as an invisible hand seemed to grab hold of them. Magneto then gestured towards the left where the Infinites were sent flying.   
 "Enough."

 Magneto rose in the air, lifting every Infinite remaining with him.  
 "I have been patient long enough. I will now finish this."

 Then he clenched his hands and began lifting every single metallic object in the battlefield.   
 Infinites, wrecked cars, even wheelchairs and lampposts began lifting off the ground.   
 The Infinites began firing at him, but he erected a magnetic shield, even as he lifted the Infinites.  
 Below him the X-men fighting the Infinites stopped and looked up.  
 "I shall end this now!"  
 He pulled his hands to his chest and then flung them aside, causing the Infinites to go flying back. As they stopped their flight using their thrusters, Magneto spun around, his hands in front of him, sending out an EMP in a straight line. AS he spun the EMP spun with him, hitting nearly every infinite in the air. Infinite parts rained from the sky.   
 Magneto slowly landed as the other Infinites were finished off by the rest of the X-men.   
 "Hey, you okay Magneto?"

Magneto turned to Iceman.   
 "Yes Bobby. In fact I have never felt this powerful… where are Rogue and Banshee?"  
The X-men looked around. Their two teammates were nowhere to be seen.   
 "They went that way."

Magneto looked up. It was the wandering man they had encountered in San Francisco. A large black man, with a strange M shaped tattoo over his eyes.  
 "You…"

The man nodded at Magneto.  
 "You had best hurry. The leader of this attack was there. A tall lean fellow, with armor covering parts of his skin, and a face mask that covered everything but his eyes. He also had long hair. There was this strange nimbus of power around him, glowing green in color. Called himself Famine or something."

Magneto's eyes widened.  
 "Plague…"

 Suddenly the roof of the building behind them burst apart, and a projectile came flying out to land at Scarlet Witches feet.  
 "Sean!"

 Quicksilver knelt quickly to help his teammate. Banshee was almost unconscious, with a bleeding lip and a broken nose.  
 "Sean! Where's Rogue?" Magneto asked Banshee in a panic.  
 "Sorry Magnus… tried to protect her. She's with the... horseman."  
 Magneto looked back at the building, in time to see a figure emerge from the depths.   
 It was Plague, and behind him he dragged the body of Rogue.

                                                                 x----------------------x

  Her companion hadn't said a word for almost two days now. The cell they were in was small, with only one window for light and to provide a draught. It was about eight feet by ten feet…not a bad distance, but still slightly cramped for two people. There was a bed and a toilet, but nothing else. It was slightly cramped sleeping on the bed, but there was nothing for it but to make the best of it. Thankfully neither she nor Mariko were very big women. Their captor had been very vague on why they were here. She shuddered slightly as she thought of him… or it. It was a mutant, that she was sure of; although one really couldn't tell what was under that massive cloak. It was always clad in black, with large gauntlets that gave of an eerie blue light, showing his hands to be bone thin. Beneath the hood of the cloak Moira could only make out two glowing blue eyes, but from what little else she could make out it wore some sort of mask. Moira had felt the aura that radiated of it, and was consumed by fear and nausea. She was almost certain that this was what had been causing all the escalating tension and tempers in the last few months. All the wasting sicknesses…the figure seemed to represent a reaper of some sort.   
   
 When she had first gone to confront Brian Braddock, Mariko Yoshida had stopped her, warning her to be careful. Warned her that she had felt something in the last few weeks, and that it seemed to be coming to a close. Moira had been about to question Mariko about it, when Brian's door had opened and the man himself had walked out. 

 He had invited them both to his office. Moira had in her anger and haste gone in without paying heed to the sudden nervousness she felt. Mariko had been more careful, but apparently had gone in as well. Once inside the office Brian had sat in his chair across the desk from them. He had then smiled at Moira and asked her a question.   
 "So, Moira, what was it that you wanted?"  
Moira had then launched into questioning him about all the transfers from his account, as well as the expensive machinery he had been buying, using both his own and the Council's money.   
 Brian had smiled ad turned to Mariko asking her why she seemed uneasy.   
 the woman had responded by saying that she felt nervous, as though something terrible was coming.   
 Brian's smile had widened and he had turned back to Moira, asking her why she thought all his behavior was suspicious.   
 Moira had finally lost it. After weeks of his being antagonistic to her, and in general being almost a different man, Moira had gone on to accuse hi of being a traitor. Brian had whitened and had begun shouting obscenities at Moira.   
 It was at that point that the lights had gone out, and then come back on to reveal the cloaked mutant. It had introduced itself as Death, one of the horsemen of Apocalypse. Moira had been shocked and afraid for her life. However the horseman had only taken them captive, with almost humiliating ease. Moira had taken control of her fear and attempted to run. Fighting a mutant, especially one that labeled itself a horseman for Apocalypse, was not a bright idea. Moira had nearly made it out the door when she heard Mariko holler a battle cry and launch herself at Death. Moira had turned in horror to see Mariko jump at Death, who had teleported almost instantly, standing behind Mariko as she leapt towards where he had been standing instants ago. He had grabbed her from behind and smashed her on the head with his other hand. He had then turned towards her and raised his scythe. Moira had struggled to open the door, but Death was too fast. As the door opened Moira ran out, straight into Death. He had grabbed hold of her and then she felt herself getting drowsy. When she had next woken up, she had been in the cell with Mariko.   
 Death had appeared a short while later, accompanied by Brian Braddock. Moira had steadfastly refused to answer Death's questions and berated Brian, who seemed almost oblivious to her comments. Mariko had remained quiet, silently contemplating the horseman. However the horseman seemed to have little or no interest in Mariko. After a while of her insulting Brian, and his asking questions he had seized her attention by pointing out one thing which Moira knew instantly to be true. He had said that Brian was his tool, animated only at his whim. From the now vacant look in Brian's eyes Moira knew this to be true. She had also then known that she was dealing with a high level telepath. A mutant it seemed who was capable of teleportation, had super strength, and also was telepathic. Moira knew then that she was in trouble. And this was only some of the power he had shown them. For all Moira knew he was possessed of further powers. Which would make among the most powerful mutants to ever walk this earth, second perhaps only to Apocalypse.   
 Death had explained to them that he had been monitoring their progress for a long time now, and had decided to take her captive now, in order to bait the X-men who were coming. Moira had raged at that, but had calmed herself a while after Death had gone. She was proud that she had managed to conceal from him the fact that both Johnny and Beatrix knew that the X-men were coming, and that in the case of something happening to her, would meet them.   
 After that first time, Death had only come once, to tell her that the X-men had arrived, and that it would only be a short time before they reached here. Moira had shivered involuntarily. She hoped with all heart that the X-men did not come to her rescue. For she was certain that unless all the X-men came, they would not stand much of a chance against Death.   
  
                                                         x----------------------x

 "So, why ain't Moira here?"  
 They hadn't had to wait too long. Johnny Storm and another woman had come to meet them. The woman had introduced herself as Beatrix, Moira's assistant. From the way they stood together and their smell, Logan knew that they were very strongly attracted to each other. Well, as long as they didn't start getting it on right now, Logan didn't mind.   
 "I don't know."  
Logan turned to stare at Johnny.   
 "Whadda ya mean ya don't know?"

What the hell DID the kid mean?  
 "I mean I don't know. She disappeared a day ago. We searched for her but she seems to have gone off, without leaving a trace. The only reason we're here to pick you up is because Moira saw fit to tell us that you're coming. To be frank I expected more of you." He added the last line with a sidelong glance at the team.  
 Logan growled, in part because of Moira's disappearance, in part because of what Johnny had said.   
 "Just drive."

Logan's mind was running on overdrive at the moment. Where had Moira gone, and for that matter why? There was something else; Logan could smell it on them. The tension, the fear. It stuck out in Logan's senses.   
 "What else is wrong?"  
 Johnny gave him another sidelong glance. Logan was getting tired of them. One more and he would not be responsible for what happened.   
 "You mean you don't know? I thought you were coming because of the problem we've been having."  
 Logan raised a brow.  
 Johnny continued.  
 "Well, to put it briefly, there's been... something strange going on for the past few weeks. More people have fallen ill, or have died in the last two weeks than in the last year. Plus, everybody is tense and nervous. Something is coming this way, and it doesn't look good. Even members of the Council have been acting all weird. Brian Braddock's been extremely anti-mutant these days. He was among the most pro-mutant a few months ago." Johnny stopped talking and turned to look at Betsy, who was wearing a shocked expression on her face.  
 "I'm sorry to tell you this Miss Braddock, but I felt it was important."  
 He turned back to Logan.  
 "Apart from that, Moira was certain that he had been involved in some suspicious business. I'm not too sure what exactly that was, as Moira didn't say."

 Logan nodded.

"Well, we'll just havta find out then."

 He stared ahead of him, as London grew closer. What the hell was going on? He wasn't sure, but Logan figured he'd get his answers in London.

                                                       x-----------------------x

 Rogue had felt scared as she faced down the horseman with Banshee. Of course, it was always possible that the horseman was inducing the fear. However Rogue doubted it. This horseman had stripped her of the one thing that made her almost invulnerable to physical assault. Her skin. Plague's skin was far more potent. She wondered if her victims felt the same bone jarring coldness and emptiness when she sucked the life out of them. Maybe, maybe not. However this horseman was already moving forward.   
 Banshee however decided to attack first. With a rebel cry he launched himself at Plague, only to find that Plague had already sensed the move and had begun moving out of the way a split second before Banshee leapt at him. As a result Banshee was headed for the left of Plague. Plague however had a different idea. As Banshee passed him, he snaked a hand out and around Banshee's midsection, hauling him around and throwing him a few feet away. Banshee however had jumped right back up and run at Plague. His sonic scream had been fairly useless. Plague had simply seemed to absorb it.   
 Rogue then stopped worrying and decided to move. Strafing around Plague, she levitated a car door from the debris and launched it at Plague's head. Plague however whipped around and with a chopping motion, cut the door into two. He then jumped into the air and Banshee stumbled below him. Plague landed behind Banshee and spun him around. Before Banshee could do anything Plague slammed his palm into Banshee's mouth, causing Banshee to stumble backwards and weave about drunkenly for a few seconds. Plague attacked again, laying out Banshee with a solid right hook.   
 Rogue again levitated debris, however her magnetic power was very limited, and Magneto's EMP had caused a subtle shift in the magnetic polarity of the region. Rogue took to the air and began dodging the energy blasts that Plague shot at her. This was getting ridiculous. The horseman was far stronger than she was, and Rogue knew that she didn't have a hope of defeating it.   
 However she had to try, for Magneto, for the X-men and for her baby… Rogue's eyes widened. Her baby! In her concentration in fighting against Plague she had completely forgotten that she was pregnant. A simple hit from the horseman could cause her to have a miscarriage. Her baby could die!  
 Plague moved forward again, taking to the air himself and homing in on Rogue. Rogue dodged his attack again, but as always Plague had compensated for it. An energy beam hit her a glancing blow, knocking her down. She panicked as she thought of her baby. She struggled to control her flight, but she was falling. Suddenly a sonic scream hit Plague square on the chest. Plague fell back and slammed into the ground. Strong arms grabbed Rogue and set her gently on the ground.   
 "Are ya okay lass? He dinnae hurt ye or the wee one did he?"  
Rogue shook her head, her hands protectively coming down on her stomach. Why did the horseman not avoid the attack?   
 "That almost hurt Banshee. There are some things that even I cannot prevent, even if I know they will happen."  
 * So, that's why he got hit. There must be something that will take him down. Shit. We're gonna have ta co-ordinate our attack till there is no way to escape it. *

"Alraght Plague. We play this mah way. Ah say you eithah give yoahself up, or ah'm gonna have ta come do it for ya."  
Plague began laughing. Rogue suddenly signaled Banshee. He nodded in understanding. They both ran in at the same time, Rogue darting in from the left, Banshee from the right. Both were airborne. Plague looked left to right and then made a decision. As banshee hurtled in, he turned his back on the Scottish mutant and focused on Rogue. His energy blast took her on her shoulder, sending her into a spiral. She smashed into the ground, face first.

Plague staggered back a bit under banshee's massive attack, but then kicked Banshee in the ribs. Rogue winced as she heard bone crack.   
 "Very clever. However I'm now done playing games. This ends now."  
Rogue and Banshee attacked again, however this time Plague jumped into the air and shot a massive blast of energy down where he originally stood. Both Rogue and Banshee swooped up, and Plague met them coming up. He grabbed both their throats and zoomed down, He slammed Rogue onto the ground, and slammed Banshee onto her legs. Rogue was hurt, but Banshee's ribs were being broken, almost deliberately…  
 Rogue jumped up again and grabbed one of Plague's ponytails. Plague winced as she caught and pulled. 

 "Let go, you stupid bitch. I can drain you using my hair as well."  
 Rogue gritted her teeth and flew up. Plague however was already sucking her dry. Around them Rogue saw metallic objects begin to rise.   
 Pulling Plague up, Rogue cocked a fist and smashed him in the face, denting the armor there.   
 Plague fell to the ground, clutching his face.  
 "Arghh. That did hurt you psycho witch. I'll kill you!"  
 This time Plague grabbed her neck and forced her to the ground, beginning to drain her dry. As Rogue slipped into unconsciousness she saw Banshee leap for Plague.   
  
                                                           x----------------------x

  
  
 The Sea Wall units were monolithic structures, massive battlements rising out of the sea, like leviathans, pincer like pillars for arms, reaching out to the sky. Stark, impressive, monstrous. Scott remembered seeing the plans for them, and being soundly impressed. The Sea Walls did their job well. They were all huge constructs, crafted by Apocalypse himself. Each was the same, a large beetle-shaped sentinel, almost floating on the water. It was touching the water at only three spots. The central pillar, and the two side spiky protrusions. The central pillar was what kept them above water. Each pillar sunk down into the depths of the ocean, imbedded deep into the bottom surface of the sea. They were the stuff of nightmares.   
 The Sea Walls were heavily guarded, a fact almost redundant due to the Sea Walls own efficiency and capability in dealing death to any interloper. The Sea Walls were the single most important reason the Sentinels had not managed to attack Apocalypse's empire full force. The one tie a large scale Sentinel assault had been planned the Sea Walls had demolished over half of them. The rest the Infinites and the rest of the armies of Apocalypse had handled. Scott had been newly a Prelate then, and had learnt just how important a defensive piece could be in strategic warfare. Since then, the rook had been his favorite piece in chess. He used it sparingly, until his opponent decided to make an assault. At that point he brought them into play, them having been strategically maneuvered till they were at the point they could do the most damage. Sinister had once and only once fallen for it. The only time he had beaten Sinister soundly. Otherwise it was always a close thing, tending to go either way. Surprisingly…or perhaps not, given his one time position as commander of Apocalypse's armies; Sammael had been the most impressed with his usage of the rooks. It was the only time Scott could remember Sammael actually noticing anyone below his own rank. Having met his obsessive brother Scott guessed it ran in the family.

 The Sea Walls were controlled by a master Sea Wall unit. One that looked exactly like any other, save for the thin antenna jutting out of the top. Scott knew its relative position, and the jet they were in sat not three miles away.  
 "Are you sure they won't detect us?" Kurt was not too comfortable being so close to that which was almost synonymous with certain death.   
 "This craft was designed to be undetectable. No, the Sea Wall shouldn't notice us. However there are no guarantees in life. Apocalypse may have changed it after you used the Hybrid to escape his forces ay Muir Isle."

 Kurt, who had perked up at his first words, seemed to wilt.  
 "Ah, just relax Kurt. It'll be fine. Just… why are we waiting here?" the last was directed at Scott.  
 However it was Ororo who answered him.  
 "We wait because it is prudent to do so. It is actually daylight up above this fog bank. The Sea Wall rises out of the fog. In a few hours it will be dark. Kurt will be most useful then, and we will have greater stealth advantage."  
 Scott looked at Ororo approvingly.   
 "Very sharp. You caught on very fast."  
Ororo nodded at him slightly. The woman still did not trust him completely. Still, that was all right. She would have made a fine leader, but as someone who preferred talking to fighting, in this day an age, she served better as an advisor. Magneto had the fire and spirit needed to lead in this age. Apocalypse had the sheer power. Sinister had his intelligence; Candra and Exodus had their ambitions. The Human High Council had their primal instinct to survive. And him? Scott thought for a second. At one time he would have said that he had his duty and his sense of responsibility. Now he knew that he only had Jean. A fact that would have scared him had it not felt so right.   
 They all wore armor now. Ororo was clad in her usual white, with gray gauntlets and chest plate. Her boots were gray as well, although her girdle was yellow. She struck a striking figure. Warren was wearing a teal colored bodysuit, with lighter colored armor, and a nearly shining headpiece. His long blonde hair stuck out from the top falling to the side of his head in strands.   
 Kurt was in his usual black bodysuit, with slightly lighter, more charcoal gray-ish colored armor. Jean wore her now familiar red and blue, with black thick polymer-fiber for armor. Jean stated that it slowed her down. Scott didn't care. He loved the way she looked; although he never said that out loud.   
 Scott was wearing his usual black, with the gray armor, and purple gauntlets. He attached them with a sigh. It felt strange when he put them on. However the feel of power surging into his hands was always… exhilarating. 

 He walked forward and peered out through the front windscreen.   
 "Something seems different there. Angel, can you please see what that is?"  
 Angel moved forward and stood beside Scott, squinting into the darkness. His eyesight was almost as sharp as eagles, making him an efficient watcher. Angel watched intently for a second then drew back, a confused look on his face.  
 "That can't be right…"  
Scott looked at him.  
 "What is it?"  
 Angel stared at him then the rest of the X-men in the small jet.  
 "Either I've gone crazy, or there's an old antique ship heading this way, en route to the Sea Wall."

                                                        x-----------------x

 The absence of Galaire was felt perhaps most at times like this. She had been calm and unruffled in the face of any weather. After all, she had been able to literally control water in any form. And she was nigh invulnerable. The latter not being a small power. This damned fog was making his nose numb. Asmodeus had lived for a little over three hundred years. In all that time he had never caught the flu, and he had not had a cold for just about three hundred years. But now, traveling in this God-forsaken, however fast, antique vessel, Asmodeus was perilously close to it. He had never liked colds. He was fairly certain of that. Among externals his capacity to retain memory was perhaps the greatest. It had nothing to do with his powers of course. It was simply a facet of his personality. He was admittedly a far better teacher, or a scholar, than a powerful external. He subscribed to the belief that he was beyond the normal mutants, and he believed he was destined to rule over the others. However he was no administrator or tyrant. His undying passion was for study and knowledge, not power. Ambition was something that his compatriots had in abundance. He never felt any need to be ambitious. Which is perhaps why he was such a peace broker, between externals that is. That is why it was amusing that his powers, potentially deadly, were developed to be defensive by him. They were still deadly, but he had no idea how to go about using them to assault overtly. He shivered as a sudden wind passed over him. Up here in the north the weather was horrible. 

"Feeling cold Asmodeus?"  
 He turned to see Behamen standing next to him. She was as always dressed in revealing clothes, even in this weather. The only concession she had made to the weather was wearing a nearly transparent, almost diaphanous gown over her normal attire.   
 "Are you not cold Behamen?"  
Behamen smiled mischievously.  
 "OH no Asmodeus. I feel, very warm, and pleasant right now."

Which probably meant she had taken a lover just before coming here. That made nearly all of the crew. He was surprised she wasn't sleeping with the fishes or the birds. Her sexual appetite was perhaps too… well too.   
 "How can you sleep with flatscans? Does it not disgust you?"  
Gilgamesh. Asmodeus's partner in crime. So to speak. Amongst externals he was perhaps the most disapproving of Behamen's activities.   
 "Oh no Gilgamesh. I find it no different than sleeping with our own kind. After all, we are nearly the same from the outside. And down there… well, humans and mutants are no different at all. In fact, some humans are even more-"

"That's all the information we need Behamen, thank you."  
 Behamen smiled at Asmodeus, not mischievous, not shy. A lewd smile, full of hidden promise. She must be running out of partners if she was attempting to seduce him. If she did try however, Asmodeus would not be able to fight her attentions. She was not the world's greatest empath for nothing.   
 "There is something up ahead."

Asmodeus and Behamen turned to look where Gilgamesh was.   
 "I see nothing."

Gilgamesh turned to Asmodeus.   
 "Wait. You will see it soon enough."  
 Asmodeus peered into the fog. Sure enough, after a while he could make out a dim shape appearing out of the mist.   
 "What is it?"

Gilgamesh did not reply for a few seconds, than spoke.  
 "It is a jet. One the X-men use. It appears we are not the only ones attempting to attack the Sea Wall."

Two large hands suddenly came down on Asmodeus and Gilgamesh's shoulders.   
 "Yes. The X-men. Among them the ex-High Prelate, Cyclops. Providence favors us today. Come, let us meet with them, talk to them, and to put it simply, use them as pawns to defeat the Sea Wall."

The five externals looked out at the approaching X-jet.   
  
                                                x--------------------x

 Kitty sat near the window, looking out onto the streets of London. At one time it was one of the foremost cities in the world, and had been for a many centuries. At one time only Paris was capable of matching it in terms of splendor. At the height of the British Empire, London had been the most powerful city in the world. Now staring at the broken thing it had become, Kitty couldn't help but feel a surge of utmost sorrow. London had become mush like the people who now inhabited it, the race that had made it their capital. Grim, and nearly broken, but still standing… still surviving.   
 "Penny for your thoughts, Katya?"  
 Kitty turned languorously from the window and stared up at Peter. Her big Russian bear. He stared at her for a second, then turned to the window.   
 "What is it that you were watching, Katya?"  
Kitty stretched. It felt good to just lie down, and relax, especially after the last week of constant running and fighting. Then again, they had been resting for over half a year, preparing for the final assault on Apocalypse. And already things weren't going their way.  
 "Nothing much, Peter. Just… wondering, you know. What's to be done here? When do we do it? You know, sometimes I pity the leaders. Erik… with all that's going on, he manages to seem in control. Having the team back together helped I guess, as well as Shiro."  
Peter nodded slowly. One of the things Kitty loved about him. He was not slow, or stupid. He liked to think things over, analyze and assess them before giving any clear answer.   
 "Da. He has been a stone to anchor ourselves on. WE have not had many like him in our ranks. Our group is made up of many different people, but none had the calmness of he, not even Ororo."

Kitty looked out at the city again. Nothing stirred at this time. She could a small speck in the sky. A sentinel. She shivered involuntarily. They had hunted X-men as well at one time. Until Moira had managed to get her husband to put fail-safe's in them. Having an ally in the high Council had helped. However, there had been two times when the X-men had gone head to head with Apocalypse's forces. Both times they had failed to defeat his armies. However, they had managed to destroy his Citadel in New York. Kitty had been young then, and didn't really remember too much of that time. Just that some X-men had died then. Gambit had joined about that time as well, a brash young man who had set out to charm all the ladies, until Rogue captured his heart. However Rogue and Erik had been almost meant to be. They had circled around each other till Remy had shown up, with his charm and good looks, and swept rogue off her feet. Then of course had been Erik's ability to help Rogue touch other's, and with it Rogue's return of control. Kitty felt sorry for the Cajun, sometimes, but at the time they had all been glad to see that the two had finally gotten together. Of course, Roulette had broken apart from the X-men, even though Xavier had asked Remy to stay. It had been a hard loss to them, having to let go not only of Remy and his team, but also of Ororo, who had grown attached to the Cajun, taking him under her wing before anyone else.   
 She then realized what she had been staring at.   
Kitty stood up straighter.  
 "What is it Katya?" Peter was alarmed.  
Kitty waited a second to confirm then looked up at Peter with a relieved smile on her face.  
 "Finally. They're here. The rest of the High Council."

 They had come almost together. Each council member had arrived within minutes of the others. Susan Storm and Victor Von Doom had been the first. Logan stared at them. Susan was a pretty woman nearing her middle years, with blonde hair cut till they framed her face, hanging down to her jaws. She was slender, but with sloping curves in the right places. A beautiful woman. And one to reckon with. Her jaw was set, and her eyes were hard crystal blue, much like her brothers. She wore simple clothes, form fitting leather, with a nylon jacket and pants, white in color, with a light blue stripe running down the side. Von Doom was different. He was tall, and well built for a human, but he limped slightly as he walked. However Logan was sure all was not as it seemed with him. Von Doom had a villainous face, which made it hard to understand why he and Susan were so obviously a couple. Logan could tell, just by scent, but the way they stood. It was fairly obvious. Strange, von Doom would not be considered handsome; with his beetle like eyebrows and scar running down from his temple to his chin, and the constant frown it gave him. Then again, he wasn't exactly a poster boy for a fashion magazine either. Still he had his animal attraction thing going for him. Von Doom probably had something as well.  
 Arriving seconds after them was Wilson Fisk. Logan stared. He had never seen a man this big. Well, he had seen Blob before, but Blob was a mutant. Fisk was an ordinary human… or maybe extraordinary at that. With Fisk arrived a young woman, whose blazing red hair reminded Logan of Jean. He wondered if she was all right. She did not seem to be his lover, but instead Fisk was almost fatherly in his behaviors towards her. Her name was Mary Jane Fisk, and Fisk had adopted her years ago, the two of them being the only survivors of their region in New York. With his large holdings, Fisk had managed to fund the High Council extensively, helping in the construction of the Sentinels. Logan didn't like him too much. He was a hard man, almost cruel. He fitted in this world, and Logan was not surprised that Charles, when he was alive, had been wary of him.   
 "Is that it?" The Council had gone to their seats almost immediately, sitting down around the table. 

 "Where's Brian?" Betsy spoke up finally. She would want to see her brother. She had not met him for a long time. Years at least, that Logan knew of. Logan was getting impatient. The others seemed to have no clue as to whether Brian was coming or not.  
 "We have had no contact with him, or with Moira or Mariko." Mary Jane looked a little irritated. As the youngest member of the Council, maybe she had to still prove herself or something. Logan didn't know, or care. However the last name she said caused Logan to go cold. He still remembered Mariko, the woman he had loved once. A woman who had died, a few years before he joined the X-men. Back then she had been only eighteen years of age. It could not be her. His Mariko was dead.  
 "Who is Mariko?" Helena spoke up finally. The kid had been quiet, probably discomfited to be in the presence of so many of her one time enemies. "She is not a Council member, we have no profile for her."  
Susan smiled thinly at her.   
 "You X-men do not know of her. Neither does Apocalypse. She is a new member. She was put in the Council partially to represent her small community. Just as Robertson had done so for the blacks when he was alive. Mariko Yashida is not someone we knew well. She is strange, and given to silence, even when her input might be required. She shows some aptitude for strategy though. She does not remember much of her past she says…." Susan talked on a bit, and Logan supposed he should listen, but his ears had shut down, and body gone numb. Mariko… It was she! But… how? She should be dead. He bowed his head down, his hand feeling for one of the few scars he still had. His body usually healed fast enough for them to be nearly non-existent, but some had remained. Such as the one a little below his ribs. He had torn apart the house looking for her, and had cut himself, falling back when he saw the blood, and found her body, reeking of poison, and death. How could she be alive? He had smelled her, found her dead! He nearly gave in to the animal in him, screaming to be let out.   
No.  
He had to fight against it. He forced all thoughts of Mariko out of his head. It had to be someone else. He forced himself to listen to the conversation again, and finally decided to put his input.  
 "I'm guessing you're wondering why Johnny called ya to a special meeting. Well, it's 'cause I asked for it. I-"  
He cut off his sentence as the door opened and Brian Braddock walked in, his coat trailing water slightly. It was drizzling lightly outside. One thing Logan had hated about this country. It was always friggin raining.   
 "Brian!"

Betsy jumped up and hugged her brother. Brian looked surprised, and his face paled for a second, but then he was smiling and hugging his sister back, lifting her off the ground slightly. Logan frowned at him. Had he imagined the slight blanching, or was he seeing things. An odor seemed to hit his nostrils. Something smelled wrong. Very wrong. He tried to put it out of his mind.   
 "Glad yer here at last, bub. Like I was sayin, this meeting's because of one thing. Some strange stuff's been going on in this city for a while, and Moira called us for some extra help. We figured the help of some mutants wouldn't be hurtin any, so we came. The problem is, when we got here, Johnny met us, with news that Moira had disappeared."  
Logan turned to Brian. He and Johnny had talked about this on their own, leaving the other X-men out of it. Moira had suspected Brian Braddock, and had gone to meet him, that much Johnny knew. Logan hadn't wanted to hurt Betsy, so he wanted to surprise Brian. He hoped Betsy wouldn't be too hurt. Hell, he half hoped he was wrong. But something told him he was right. Brian's smell…it was wrong.  
 "She was last seen heading for yer office bub."

Brian looked at him slowly. The other council members had been shocked to find out she was missing, but they all looked towards Brian now.   
 "What… what do you mean? Are you trying to imply something mutant?"  
The Council looked at him.  
 "Moira Trask told us some things Brian. Evidence she had gathered. Besides, right now, we're not accusing you of it. We're just trying to trace her footsteps." Johnny had made a nice save, putting more suspicion on Brian, and making him look defensive. 

 A smart move. They had to get him to confess, but Logan wasn't feeling patient. The plan had been to twist his words around, and get him to confess his part, or be assured of his innocence. But Logan knew, instinctively that Brian was involved. He had smelled of… not fear, but more like annoyance, or maybe panic. And overlapping that smell had been the smell of… wrongness emanating. Brian had never smelled like this. London had the smell about it was well, but it seemed especially strong in Brian.   
 "What is this they're talking about Brian?" Fisk closed a meaty fist, his eyes narrowing, "What evidence? And if you don't know where Moira is, then tell us where she went after your office?"  
 Logan's hands were itching to do something, and the smell was making the beast in him go wild. He needed to lash out at something, anything.   
 "Brian, what are they talking about? Logan, you never said anything to us about this!" Betsy was getting pissed.  
 "Look, Betsy, I have no idea what they are talking about. This is some sort of twisted plot. I swear to you, this is all a lie."  
 The Council stared impassively for a minute, then Von Doom spoke.  
 "You have changed in recent months Brian. You are not the levelheaded, calm man you once were. You have developed an almost intrinsic hatred for mutants, apart from other ways in which you have changed. Now, answer the question. Where did Moira go?"  
 Brian's eyes narrowed with every word Von Doom said, and he sat for a second after he finished.   
 "If you are finished, I have to regretfully say that I am disappointed in you all. I thought you would trust me more than this. I've had enough," Brian stood, shrugging his coat on, "and I'm going now. Call me when you feel like talking sense again." He began to head for the door. Von Doom stood to stop him, but Logan was there.  
 He grabbed his collar with his hand, and moved a claw out till it touched his chin lightly.   
 "I'm sayin this once bub. Where's Moira!"  
Brian looked at him with frosty eyes, eyes that were much like his sisters.  
 "Let me go, mutant, or you will have no hands left."

 Logan snarled at the threat and tossed his aside, readying himself to leap again.  
  "No! Stop! I've also had enough!"  
 Betsy stood up, her arms stretched to the side.   
 "I want answers, and I'll get them from all of you."  
 With that, the ground suddenly reached out and grabbed everyone in the room, save for Helena and Betsy.  
 Betsy closed her eyes in concentration and began pulling memories, thoughts and plans out of the others heads. She was not strong enough to attempt this, Logan thought fleetingly as he struggled.   
 In an instant everyone lurched as Betsy's raw, untrained power hit their heads. Logan gritted his teeth. Betsy was untrained. She could kill everyone in the room in this way if she wasn't careful. He felt her power searing through his mind. Behind him he heard Peter grunt. Mary Jane was holding her head and screaming. Every instinct in Logan screamed for him to lash out, to drive away whatever was doing this to him. But Helena held him down.   
 Finally Betsy gasped and fell back, Helena holding her up for comfort. She lay panting in Helena's arms for a second, and then looked up.  
 "They were right! Brian how could you?"  
Brian stood there, immobilized by the ground.   
 "I am sorry Betsy… for this and for what I am about to do. I did not want to do this, but he was too strong. I am sorry."

 Then he pulled out a gun and aimed straight at her.   
 "Sorry Betsy…" Brian began tightening his finger on the trigger. Logan moved in slow motion it seemed, trying to reach him before he killed Betsy. Brian began to pull the trigger.  
 "Hold it."

Suddenly Logan realized Kitty was next to Brian, and she brought her hand around from behind him, phasing through his neck.   
 Brian's eyes rolled up in his head, and he fell backwards, unconscious.  
 

                                                         x-------------------------x

 "You sonofabitch!" Magneto sped towards Plague, his hands already glowing with energy. Plague seemed to move to the side, and slammed into the ground where Plague had been moments ago, with force enough to send reverberations through the ground.   
 Then the X-men attacked as one.   
This monster had gone too far. The broken body of Rogue served as a bolster to each X-man and woman. With a cry of rage Wanda shot a hex bolt at the horseman, knocking him on his back. Quicksilver blurred in, fists flying. Even with precognition, the horseman could not evade Quicksilver's blows. Finally the horseman managed to grab onto Quicksilver's arm, flinging him aside. However Iceman was there, catching Quicksilver, who used the ice generated by Iceman to swing around back towards Plague. However, Plague was already moving back, and his blast caught Quicksilver right in the face, knocking the fastest mutant alive backwards.   
 Iceman again made the save, and began dropping the temperature around him rapidly.   
 "Freeze asshole."   
 Plague smiled slightly at the comment, before launching his own barrage.   
  
  Magneto knelt next to Rogue, gently pulling her head into his lap.  
 "Oh no. What did he do to you my love?"

Rogue was still, but her chest rose and fell almost imperceptibly. He stroked her hair slightly. Why had she come? She was in no position to fight, not right now, and most certainly not against someone like the horseman. He pressed his lips to her forehead, hoping to revive her with the force behind it. Nothing. She was alive, but only just. He placed a hand on her stomach… her stomach. His innards suddenly flooded with cold. The baby. She was pregnant. And yet she had fought on this ground. Against his orders. He felt rage and pride war inside him. Yet love was the predominant emotion in him as he stared at his wife. She had courage enough to fill the world, no, the cosmos. And she loved beyond. And he basked in her love, giving back what he could. For Rogue, for his children, two grown up, one to arrive. He smoothed back her hair again. For them, for his X-men, for the children of the future, for them all, he would stop Apocalypse and his forces. Starting with this horseman.  
 Magneto stood up, taking flight. Plague turned to look at him, lips twitching sardonically. Magneto snarled back at him.  
 "You think that with your psychic powers you are invincible. I will teach you the folly of presuming so."  
Plague's eyes widened, and he took to the air as well, just in time to evade a massive EMP blast.   
 "Do you think you can actually fight against me Magnus? I am beyond you."  
 Magneto smiled chillingly.   
 "You are nothing, halfscan."  
Plague screamed his displeasure, and then he clenched his hands together. A rolling wave of energy spiraled out of him in all directions. One slammed into Magneto, making him stagger back in mid-air. Another slammed into Iceman, causing him to fall to the ground. Quicksilver, just getting off the ground, was knocked back down, falling onto Scarlet Witch. Blink began staggering back, but Sabretooth, still planted firmly on the ground supported her.   
 "Is that the best ya can do, horseman?"  
Suddenly Blink teleported him right above Plague. Plague had begun to move an instant before, but Sabretooth managed to snag his leg in mid-air.   
 "Ya got one second ta give up, before I rip you apart."

Plague's eyes widened, and then seemed to dim with understanding.   
 Sabretooth began attacking Plague, who began fighting back, holding Sabretooth in front of him with one hand.   
 "I seen another of yer kind schmuck, and ya aren't even a hair on what yer dead pal The Beast was. Yer stringy and bony, an yer a pussy."  
 Plague began chocking Sabretooth. 

 "Indeed, I am not as strong as Beast was. He was far better suited to destruction than I. However, I am still far more powerful than you. And we are both going to get very badly hurt now."  
 An EMP blast hit them both as magneto shot at them recovering from the blast Plague sent out earlier.   
 "Yearghh!" Sabretooth began falling with Plague, in a spiral. Although Plague had borne most of the brunt of the blast, Sabretooth had felt some of it, and it had hurt.  
 They both smashed into a building, Plagues landing causing it to fall inwards.   
 Magneto swooped down and looked at it. Behind him, Quicksilver, Iceman and Scarlet Witch watched warily. Blink ran up to the debris.  
 "Mr. Creed?" She looked up fearfully at Magneto, who shook his head.  
 "He's alive. So is Plague. Sabretooth will require a lot more to take him down, and Plague probably more."  
 AS he finished speaking, the debris began to quiver, and then Plague burst out, spinning around in the air, some of his armor dented, and his face mask partially off. His hair flew around behind him, moving as though caught in the wind. The two ponytails's crackled behind him, as he moved forward. He stretched his hands to the side.  
 "I am sick and tired of all of this Magneto. This will now end. I promise you. One way or another. This I have foreseen."  
Magneto flew up to stand before him.  
 "I have had enough of your blabbering. If you want to finish it, then by all means let us do so!"

 Magneto began drawing energy from all around him, as Plague did the same.   
 "A pure power match Magneto? I admit, you have more power than I, but we shall see who wins."  
 Magneto smiled and nodded, and then raised a hand.   
 "Pay careful attention Plague. I will now let loose my magnetic blast. You with your vampiric energies. You have foreseen this, but you can't afford to lose concentration now. What if I plan something else suddenly? Concentrate all your psychic power now Plague, for I do have something in mind. Now X-men!" AS he spoke, he prayed his strategy had worked. With Plague actually concentrating, his power should not work properly. He would know it, but not in enough time. He hoped they knew what he meant.   
 Quicksilver ran forward, and punched Plague square in the gut, as Scarlet Witch fired a hex bolt straight at Plague's face, causing him to reel backwards.   
 Iceman was there, freezing Plague's legs to the ground, and then Sabretooth and Blink attacked in synchronization.   
 "Back X-men, this one is mine." Magneto raised a fist.  
He summoned all the energies he could, and then let loose. Plague was snapped in place by the vast magnetic energies assaulting his body. A thin wail grew from within the glowing nimbus that surrounded him.   
 Then it was over, and Plague was buried inside a hole in the ground.   
 "It's finished. Nothing could have survived that."

 He turned to Rogue, when suddenly a blast of energy hit his back, making him fall to his face with the impact.   
 "Not… finished… yet."  
 Some… thing rose out of the hole, all rotten flesh and burnt armor. Plague rose out, parts of the rotting face showing through the armor burned into it. His ponytails glowed with green energy, as did the parts of his body that showed beneath the melted armor stuck to his skin.   
 "The pain you have caused me… I will finish you."  
 Magneto rose slowly. Could nothing stop this creature? The other X-men attacked, Iceman hitting low, Sabretooth high, Blink and Scarlet Witch in the center, and Quicksilver everywhere. However Plague just tossed them off as though they were flies, and moved forward towards Magneto.   
 "Your power shall be mine Magneto. One way or another."

 Magneto fired EMP blasts at him, but he just seemed to absorb them now.    
 "You cannot stop me that way. Not me."

 He moved forward, inexorably, and magneto moved back, hurling EMP blast after EMP blast at him, but still the horseman walked on.   
 "Not so fast sugah. That's mah husband yoah tryin to get at now, an me an mah chald ain't gonna accept a dead daddy."  
Magneto looked at Rogue, floating five feet behind Plague. Magneto also saw Plagues eyes widen in disbelief, and terror. Magneto smiled.   
 Rogue moved forward and snagged Plagues hair, swinging him around and into a building.   
 "Ah've had it with ya, ya piece a shit. Eat this!"  
 Rogue grabbed onto his arm and then her face blanched as he began draining her.  
 "Now Erik! While he's draining me."  
 Plague began moving away as soon as she opened her mouth, but she grabbed his hand with hers, and pressed her body to his.   
 "No, let go."  
 Magneto watched as green energy literally attached itself to Rogue, and began draining her, her face whitening as he began sucking the life out of her involuntarily.  
 "No, I must stop! No, master!"

Magneto, Scarlet Witch and Iceman struck as one, the three combined blasts hitting Plague squarely on his back. Finally Scarlet Witch held up a hand and Plague was bodily ripped off Rogue, and Scarlet Witch then smashed him onto the ground.   
 "It's finished horseman!"

 Sabretooth pressed a heel into Plagues face, and as Plague writhed on the ground Iceman froze him completely. Magneto grabbed a falling Rogue before she hit the ground. He tenderly held her, and kissed her quivering lips, feeling the coolness in her skin due to Plagues draining.  
 "Pietro, hold her please."  
Quicksilver placed an arm around Rogue, and held her as Magneto turned to Plague, who was trapped in a frozen ball of ice, which was embedded in the buildings nearby.  
 "It is time to end this Plague."

Magneto held up his hands, and metal from all over came together, hovering in the air. Fire hydrants, lampposts, car wrecks; all manner of metallic substances came up in the air. Finally the Infinite's bodies rose up.  Thousands of Metallic objects filled the sky. The humans remaining stared at the sight. 

 Magneto brought his hands together. As he did so, the metal objects in the sky rained down on the frozen horseman. They all came together, and packed him in a ball of metal, which glowed with a bluish hue, the magnetic forces at work releasing enough energy to show luminance.   
 "It is ended."  
Magneto then clenched a fist, and the ball of shining metal rose in the air, till it was over a mile high, and was but a mere speck.  
Then the Infinite transport ship that had brought Plague and his team of death dealers to the region approached the ball, and began to split apart, until it was four different parts, each attaching itself to one side of the glowing mass. The ship seemed to mold itself to the ball, and then began to take on the same hue, glowing blue and then purple, then magenta. The energy grew more and more unstable, running along the thing in flashes, trails of energy actually spinning around the ball. Magneto clenched his other fist.

 Then it seemed to implode, turning in upon itself, till nothing seemed to remain. For a second all was still, then the explosion came, a huge mass of energy lit up the sky, so bright that some had to shield their eyes from the glare.   
 Energy seemed to draw into it, and then spiral outward.   
 From within the X-men thought they could hear a terrible cry of suffering. Then the roiling ball of energy spread out, seemingly slow, and began to flatten out, becoming circular, then like a line, until it was gone in a wink of light. The humans and mutants alike stared in wonder, and then the shockwave hit, knocking almost all of them to the ground. The only ones who didn't fall were Quicksilver, who was quick enough to handle the shockwave.   
Magneto turned to Rogue, and came to take her from Quicksilver. He caressed her face lovingly, and she looked up at him from half-lidded eyes.   
 "We did it, din' we? Got... rid of that... schmuck. Sorry bout this... Erik. Ah… had to faght. Ah couldn jus' sit… in the plane."  
 Her face fell to the side, and Magneto began to panic.   
 "Oh no. Rogue, Dammit no!"

He hoisted her in his arms and turned to Iceman.  
 "Bobby, Victor, Clarice. You three stay here, and help out the human survivors. Wanda, Pietro, grab Sean, and hurry to the Hybrid with me. The doctors on board can help us. Move!"  
  
  As Magnus, Pietro and Wanda flew off with Rogue and Sean, Bobby turned to the humans.  
 "Well, I guess that old horseman won't be a problem anymore. A good, thing, I was really beginning to think that guy was gonna be the death of me."  
Clarice smiled slightly, but Victor just snorted.  
 "Let's just help these guys out kid… wait. Where the hell's that big black guy gone?"  
 Bobby turned to the crowd of humans, who eyed them slightly fearfully. Bobby didn't blame them.   
 However he wasn't paying that much attention to the humans. He was looking for the black man as well.  
 "You're right. Where the hell is Bishop?"  
 

                                                       x------------------------------x

 They hurried aboard the Hybrid, not wasting any time. Quicksilver had already gone to rouse the doctors. There was limited staff on board apart from the X-men. Each was loyal to Magneto and the X-men, completely. Which was why Magneto felt safe in handing over care of his wife to them. To some extent. He would never truly trust humans. It was inbred in him, after suffering countless horrors under human hands. He shuddered to think that at one time he too thought about mutant supremacy, arguing constantly with Charles.   
 Rogue moaned slightly, but otherwise, she was still. Magneto looked at her worriedly. He stood in the medical bay, waiting anxiously for the doctors to arrive. Where were they?   
 As he placed her on the bed the door opened, to reveal Scarlet Witch walking in with Banshee. Banshee was conscious now, and he looked up at Magneto, trying to form words with his broken face.   
 "M… sorry… Magnwet… couldnae… hep… de wee lass." He shook his head feebly trying to say the words. Magneto nodded at him, wanting to reassure him with more than just a nod, but loathe to move as he was, he settled for nodding.   
 "It is all right, Sean. You did all you could, and for that I am grateful."  
Banshee tried to smile, but ended up grimacing as pain shot though his body.   
 "Put him in a liquid immersion tank to help heal his flesh wounds. The rest you two will have to see to. Rogue is dying! Where are the doctors?"  
The door opened again to reveal Quicksilver.   
 "They come father."

Suddenly Rogue began spasming in his arms. Magneto stared down worriedly, almost beginning to panic.   
 "Oh no… Rogue, what's wrong, speak to me love!"

Rogue continued to struggle in his hands, and her expanded stomach seemed to move slightly.   
 Magneto stared at it in growing horror.  
 "No… it can't be premature… it can't."  
The door suddenly opened and the doctors ran in, already gowned.   
 One of them took one look at Rogue and he motioned Magneto to place her on the bed, quickly.  
 "OH dear God… this looks like signs of labor to me. How far along is she?"  
 Magneto stared at him blankly.  
 "She's about seven months, give or take a few weeks."   
 The doctor nodded at Wanda, and turned back to Rogue.   
 Suddenly Rogue opened her eyes with a gasp.   
 "Erik? Erik?"  
 Then she fell back again, her body shuddering.   
 "This is bad, this is bad." One of the doctors began hurriedly pulling out instruments for surgery.   

 "She's going into shock. We'll have to operate, even if the baby's not fully developed yet. Be prepared for a caesarian."  
He turned to Magneto.  
 "This looks very bad. She's premature, and it's most likely that the fight aggravated this. Damn it. This could… go either way sir. It's possible that both will survive, but Rogue will have to be inhibited by a collar; in her state, it's likely her powers will begin to work automatically. Will you prefer to watch, or leave sir? There will be blood."

Magneto stared at Rogue for a long time, then turned to the doctor.  
 "Do whatever is needed to save her doctor. I will remain here."  
The other doctor nodded, and they resumed their watch over Rogue.   
 Magneto had not consciously believed in a God for a along time. But now he prayed to any heavenly diety willing to listen. * Please, please, return Rogue to me. Do not let her die. Don't let our baby die. Save them, please, I need this strength. Save them…. *

                                        ========================

Okay then. So was it good, have I got the suspense tingling…..???  
 Well, I can't promise I'll update all that soon, since I haven't finished this fic yet. But don't worry. One of the things I really get annoyed by are unfinished fics. So… this one will be finished. Plus, I got three more uploading in the next week. Well, the start of three more.   
 Anyway, read, review, tell me if you like, or if you don't like, and well…. Be helpful to a fellow author!   
 Thankupo.


	9. Imaginary

  Yes, I finally got the next chapter up. There might be a little while before the next update, but I definitely will finish this story. This chapter seems to have got out of hand. Plus, I expect the story will go beyond the hundred thousand mark. This chapter only is about 20,000 +. Much longer than I expected.   
  
 Nope, for Remy lovers, this chapter ain't gonna be it. He does come, but only as a precursor to what happens next chapter. But don't worry. The next chapter is dedicated to Remy Lebeau, plus it ties off most of the hanging plot threads I've left, setting the stage for the final fight. 

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men. I don't own anything Marvel owns (obviously). I do own some characters.   
  
feedback: Would be appreciated at six_nites@hotmail.com.  
  
  


 **Imaginary**

  
  The ship drew closer with every second that passed, but Cyclops was frozen in place. Only a few moments after Angel commented about ancient ships a feeling of nervousness had grown in Cyclops. Now as he stared at the occupants, the nervousness had grown into full-blown panic. However he had been taught how to deal with it; indeed he had been proficient at this tactic. Cold lunatic calm; it had been one of his greatest abilities according to Sinister. The one thing that allowed him to be such a good leader. However his other great ability had been his ability to completely think through a myriad of scenarios and judge the way a battle might go, all variables accounted for. However this time he had failed to think of one variable. The Externals, the 'other' ones, the ones who were enemies to the Tower.   
 Cyclops remembered his time with them. He remembered Halfbane, the brother of Sammael, who had controlled the Externals as easily as Apocalypse controlled his high council. Of course, if Galaire was any indication, they weren't all that managed. Even so they were dangerous, extremely so. Any thoughts of escape had fizzled away when the externals had spotted them. They were too near the Sea Wall command center, and if they tried to fly now, the Sea wall would make short work of them. Their ship was already close enough to them for the externals to easily attack them. Cyclops wondered why they were just staring at them.   
 Jean was staring at him. He turned to see her frowning worriedly.   
 *  Can we run?  *  
Cyclops shook his head slightly. Then he turned back to the approaching ship. Of all things he had not expected the external to show up, but what he expected even less was the usage of an ancient boat like the one he saw in front of him. He wasn't even sure how the Externals had managed to keep it together for this long. If they had sailed from that island in the Mediterranean… he shook his head. Thinking about that would be pointless; he had to think of a way to get out of here.   
 "Any idea's?" He turned to his team.    
 Storm lifted one eyebrow, then shook her head.   

 "I see no other way than to blow them away with my powers, or attacking them… unless you can talk to them. You know them, were their prisoner for a while… can they be negotiated with?"  
 Cyclops thought for a second.   
 "I don't think so. If it were only the other Externals, then we probably could have… Asmodeus always preferred talking to fighting. But with Halfbane… he's insane, more than a little from what I can tell, but he has a commanding presence. The others obey him to a fault, and seem a bit afraid of him, which is probably justified."  
 Storm shook her head.  
 "Then we must fight. This will be difficult."  
 Angel gave her an incredulous look.   
  
  The ship was looming large above the X-jet now. By now the X-men could see every single External. Asmodeus stood almost in the foreground, dressed in a flowing blue robe, with the hood dropped back. With the whisper of hair on his almost bald scalp he looked like an old scholar. Behamen stood next to him, wearing little enough to cause Angel to view it for longer than strictly necessary and Storm to frown slightly. She wore a whitish outfit, which seemed to hang almost impossibly on her shoulders, seemingly held up by nothing. Over that she wore some near transparent material. Behind her stood Astaroth, the hulking external, clad in fur and black pants, with a hammer in his hands. He dwarfed the rest of them, his bulk enough to make him wider than Asmodeus and Behamen combined. In the air behind him floated Halfbane, clad in all-black armor, with massive black gauntlets on his arms. The hilt of a sword could be seen behind his shoulder. And even further behind him stood Gilgamesh almost unseen in slight shadow. He was covered from top to bottom, with his hood up, slightly glowing eyes peeking from below it.   
 "Not a really tough looking bunch…" Angel quipped sarcastically, but Cyclops could tell he was nervous. Hell even Storm had lost some of her serenity, despite her calm poise. He had commanded the most cutthroat bunch of Apocalypse's Prelates, and he could read the X-men with fair ease, especially after spending near half a year with them.   
 "Let's go out to meet them. They don't seem to be attacking yet."  
  
 They burst out from all sides, Angel and Storm taking to the skies, Cyclops and Jean coming out from either side as well, with Nightcrawler bamfing to the center of the craft.   
 Defensive positions were all well and good, but something extra would be needed to handle this enemy.   
 ON the deck of the ancient ship, the externals seemed startled. Asmodeus drew back, as was his wont; his power would serve no use close up. Behamen took to the skies, also remaining at the back; her empathy would work best back there. Gilgamesh seemed to disappear and Astaroth hefted his massive hammer. Halfbane however raised his hands and stopped his externals from doing anything.  
 "Stop!" Both the X-men and the externals stopped, ach looking questioningly at Halfbane.   
 "We meet again High prelate, or rather, ex-high Prelate. I do believe we are on a similar mission. I seek to destroy the Sea Wall."  
 Cyclops stared at Halfbane. Was the man stupid? No one in his or her right mind gave away their game plan right off the bat, unless it was a ruse.   
 "And this concerns us… how?"  
Halfbane looked annoyed, and then replied, "We could work together, for the time being."  
 Storm raised an eyebrow.  

 "If I were to agree to this, partnership… why should you need our help? You are after all, the mighty externals."  
 Halfbane nodded, and then spread his hands to encompass everything around him, or so it seemed.   
 "You are trying to negotiate from a point where you should be begging. Your help would be useful to us, whereas our aid would be necessary for you. At this point we can crush you with simple ease, and continue on our way as before. Or you can choose to aid us, and live, at least until after the Sea Wall is destroyed."  
 "And what then, external? What happens after the Sea Wall is destroyed?" Storm sounded very calm. She would have made a good leader, Cyclops thought.

 "We will go our separate paths. It suits… my purposes for you to live, at least until Apocalypse is dead. After that… after that, we will go our own way."  
 Cyclops mulled it over. It wasn't a difficult problem. Either they fought, and died, and handed Apocalypse the win, or they aided the Externals, destroyed Apocalypse's most powerful weapons, and quite possibly put someone almost as cruel and dangerous on the throne. The first choice was certain death, the second allowed for life in the future. At any rate, they could play along, for the time being. They could use help in destroying the Sea Wall as well.   
 "It is agreed then, Halfbane. A… truce until after the Sea Wall is destroyed."  
 The X-men stood behind him; none seemed to be surprised, or even suspicious at his giving in to the externals. Perhaps he had gained their trust. Or they had also come to the same conclusions as he. Whatever the case, their fate was pretty much decided.   
 On the ship, Halfbane smiled.  
 "Then let us go to the Sea Wall. For victory."

                                             x----------------------------x

  
  Brian lay on his back, his arms manacled to the table he now rested on. Betsy watched her brother with some concern. The last few hours had probably been among the worst in her life. She and Brian had never been the closest of siblings, but she loved him. She had also thought he loved her. Yet he had come close to killing her. If not for Shadowcat she would be dead now. She had been too weak and horrified to do anything but stare as Brian aimed his pistol at her. She felt a surge of anger and betrayal run through her body. She controlled herself with some difficulty. He was being controlled. She had to remember that. His mind had been nearly overridden by another. This 'he' that he had mentioned. Who was this 'He'? She was certain of one thing. When they found this person, Moira would also be there.   
 However he seemed not to be inclined to wake up. It had been some time, and they had tried to forcibly wake him, but nothing had worked. Betsy took a deep breath. This was her brother. What she was about to do, she would not under normal circumstances do. She reached out a hand tentatively and placed it on Brian's cheek. Was this the right thing to do? Betsy wasn't sure, but she had to go by her instincts. They had to find out who or what had done this to her brother. Her mind set, Betsy placed her hand on his forehead, and slowly smoothed back a loose strand that had curled onto his forehead. Then with slight force she grabbed his temple with her fingers, placing her other hand in the center of the first. The actions weren't necessary, but Betsy needed to do it this way.   
 Probing delicately, Betsy attempted to enter his mind. It required little finesse, and she managed to do it. Her astral plane form seemed to shimmer. She looked around the endless plane of nothing that made up Brian's mindscape. To search out anything would take her directly to it. Emotions, thoughts, anything. However, what Betsy needed were the truth. Memories.   
 She walked forward, and she traveled through Brian's mind at a terrifying pace, attempting to get what she needed. She reached towards a door, a door to his memories.   
Suddenly a hand grabbed her arm. She turned in surprise and saw that it was Brian.   
 "No…. Betsy??? You can't be here! You must not."  
 Betsy saw in horror that the very area around Brian was pulsing, deep blue to purple, then green, then red, then yellow. It seemed a foul miasma clung to him. She saw the haze travel down his arm, reaching for her, almost hungrily. Betsy pulled away from him, just as Brian looked at his hand and let her go. Betsy fell back.   
 "Please…. Go! You have no idea! Oh… how I've fought…Betsy go, please. Go now!"  
She looked at him, holding his head in his hands, and shaking from left to right.   
 "Go!"  
 Then abruptly he leapt for her, his hands clawing at her throat.   
 "See! Even here… even in the very heart of me, he can take control!" Brian's teeth were gritted and his hair was suddenly matted, as though with sweat.   
The foulness seemed to flow along his hands and it touched Betsy. At the cold and rancid touch, Betsy screamed. She threw Brian off her, and rolled away, clutching her throat and coughing.   
 "Fight him Brian, I know you can!"  
He shook his head.   
 "I can't. I… can't… No!" And with the last word he disappeared.   
 Betsy stood there, gasping a little. She could still feel the cold touch of the haze around him.   
 Memories. That was the best way to find out what had happened.   
She grabbed something in midair and then she was in a completely different area. In the astral plane it looked much like what had once been Cerebro's chamber. Visions flickered through the air around her. 

 She stood in the middle of it all, seemingly in mid-air. Around her swirled small pictures, with tinny voices. Memories. Practically thirty years worth of them.   
 She closed her eyes. She needed to find the right memory. She opened her eyes suddenly and looked straight at one. It was almost seven months old. Placing it at a little before Muir isle was destroyed. Muir… That still held a lot of bad memories.   
 She shook her head and continued.   
 She saw through Brian's eyes as he was returning home from a meeting at Big Ben.   
 "Dammit. I know Apocalypse is planning something… but what? He still hasn't retaliated for the assault on his Tower. Something's wrong… if I only knew what."

 He reached his quarters and walked in. He knew immediately something was wrong.   
 Something was in there. In most likelihood a mutant. Could it be one of the X-men? No… this was too… cold, too cruel.   
 He walked in, pulling out his gun. It always paid to be ready. He lifted an arm to open the light, when suddenly he realized something was behind him. He turned, but there was nothing there.   
 "A very interesting place you have here."  
 Brian turned and saw someone sitting in the armchair in his room.   
 "It will serve well as my base of operations. You are Brian Braddock are you not?"  
Brian kept his gun trained on the intruder.   
 "I am. Who the hell are you?"  
The figure brought hands up to its face and spoke, "Hell… yes, that is perhaps a very good description for what I am."  
 The figure walked forward and Brian gasped as he saw the lithe, yet curved body.   
 "Debra Levin??? What the hell? Your voice?"  
She smiled, and Brain felt a chill enter his bones.   
 "This body serves its purpose. As shall you."  
Then there was sudden excruciating pain.   
  
 Betsy was jolted back into the astral plane by the force of the pain. She reeled for a second.   
 "Oh… Brian. What happened to you?" She whispered.   
 "Death happened."  
 She turned in surprise again. He should not be able to sneak up on her, even in his own brain.   
 Brian stood there, a weary, pained expression on his face. His hand moved up and brushed aside his hair.   
 "It came for me, and it'll come for you too. I'm sorry Betsy."  
Then the miasma surrounding him expanded until it hovered above him. Then it moved away from him, pulsing and glowing. It came to rest a few feet away, and formed into a glowing shape.   
 It spoke.  
 "Do you wish to see my true face woman?"  
 It formed then into a hooded shape, black in color, with blue light shining around it.   
 It seemed to be a shadowy grim reaper. Blue eyes glowed beneath the hood. It's fist clenched and Betsy saw that the fingers beneath the gauntlet also glowed. The creature moved forward slightly, fingers clenching and unclenching.   
 "You have caused me a great deal of trouble. I had the human high council in my palm until you X-men showed up. However, you won't break my hold on him so easily."  
 He gestured and Brian crumpled to the ground.   
  "Do you think you can fight me, halfscan? I am Death, one of the horsemen of Apocalypse. There is nothing in this world that can match me, excepting my brethren and our master himself. What makes you think you have a hope of defeating me?"  
 Betsy smiled.  
 "This is my ground turd. I will defeat you."  
Death seemed to grin beneath his hood.   
 "Then let us begin. A contest is it? The prize being your dear brother."  
 Betsy narrowed her eyes. With an opponent of this caliber, Betsy knew there was a good chance she would fail. However she had to take any chance she got. She had to, to save Brian.   
 "It will be almost a pity to kill you. He master prefers that the survivors be allowed to live. However, his orders are also to kill any and all who are a threat to him. You are a threat to me, and therefore a threat to his plans. I am Death. I will kill you."  
 The simplicity of the last two lines struck Betsy to the bone. She began to quail in fear. Death was too strong. He was a goddamn horseman. She had heard of the battle against the Beast. How could she hope to win…  
 No! She had to win. In order to save Brian, in order to free these humans. In order to avenge herself for the deaths of her teammates. In order to rid the evil of Apocalypse from this world.   
 Death gestured with his hands and a gleaming blade appeared in his hands. It appeared to be forged of blue flame. Betsy smiled. This was the astral plane. She had enough tricks here.   
 Her own fist clenched and a gleaming purplish pink psi-blade flared out above her knuckles.   
 "Come on. Let's get this over with."  
 Death stood there for a second and then moved forward, so fast that if Betsy hadn't been ready to evade anyway, she would have been skewered.   
 AS it is her blade just managed to deflect Death's blade.   
 Death jumped up in the air, rising almost fifty feet straight up. He came down, and the impetus and strength behind the blow drove Betsy to her knees. Death leapt back before Betsy could strike back.   
 He moved to stand still, and then revolved his blade once, a blur Betsy couldn't follow. When it came to a stop it was no longer a blade but a scythe.   
 * Grim Reaper… good Lord. *

Betsy was amused. A little bit.   
 "Are you just going to stand there, or do you have anything more in mind?"  
 Again Betsy got the feeling Death was smiling, though it was impossible to tell beneath the hood.   
 "Oh… more… much more."  
 His voice had changed, very dramatically. It now seemed to come from the pits of a skeleton, hollow and bone crackling dry.   
 If he had been fast before, he was now a blur. One slash and Betsy fell, clutching a bleeding shoulder, psi-blade gone with the advent of excruciating pain.   
 Death stood over her, triumphant.   
 "It is over, woman. Or should I say… X-woman. Brian Braddock is mine!"  
 Suddenly a cry resounded and with a speed to more than match Deaths Brian smashed into his back.   
 "Never, you sonofabitch. You will not hurt my sister!"  
 Death turned and gaped at Brian, who stood there, in his old Captain Britain outfit.   
 Brian struck again, and Death went flying.   
 "This is my mind, you worthless asshole. And you're not welcome!"  
 Death seemed to flare with blue light and was then gone, leaving a residue of taint.   
  Brian walked over to Betsy who still lay clutching her shoulder. Things happening in the astral plane, even in someone's mind, happened in life as well.  
 "I'm sorry Betsy…I was weak."  
 Betsy managed to lift one arm to stroke his hair, and smiled slightly.   
 "Hey, at least he's no longer in your head."  
 Brian looked at her shoulder carefully.  
  "Dammit. This is my mind. You cannot be hurt in my mind!"  
 Suddenly the blood was gone, and only a remnant of the hurt remained.   
 "This won't take away the hurt, simply make it slightly better." Betsy said matter-of-factly.  
 Brian shrugged.  
 "I had to do something."  
 Betsy nodded.   
 "Well, let's get back to the real world."  
 With that Betsy stopped probing and sent her consciousness back into her own mind.   
 The mindscape that was Brain's mind disappeared, and was replaced by the view of Brian lying still in the bed.   
 Then Brian's head turned to her, and he whispered slightly hoarsely.  
 "Hey, Betsy, please can you get me out of this?"   
 Betsy smiled happily and freed him from his restraints. She was immediately enveloped in Brian's strong arms.    
 "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."  
Betsy heard the plea in his voice and pushed him away slightly. 

 "Hush. It isn't your fault Brian. Deaths a powerful enemy. He's one of the horsemen. It took over half a dozen of some of the most powerful mutants to take one of them down. I doubt I could have resisted and I'm a telepath."   
 She kissed his cheek slightly. Brian shuddered and buried his head in her shoulder, crying.    
Betsy stroked his back, soothingly.   
  
                                                          x---------------------x

 They had to move quickly. Outside the raging maelstrom that surrounded the Sea Wall control. Officially termed as the Defense Security Grid Control Tower. Sammael had always been one for names. Cyclops quickly moved next to a doorway and looked into the hallway. Empty. Something was wrong. There should be more guards here. The simple fact that the whole complex was virtually empty had bothered Cyclops a lot. He adjusted the scope in his visor to search the area for any hidden, stealth or other form of sentry. He could find nothing. He shook his head in disgust. The military leader in him took affront to this shoddy sort of governing of what was potentially Apocalypses greatest defensive structure.   
 He beckoned to the others and they moved behind him, in a 'V' formation. Single file was too easy to take out. Bunched would be suicide. This formation was best. Directly behind Cyclops were Storm and Jean. Behind those two came Angel and Nightcrawler.   
 Cyclops had considered that the Externals had drawn all the fire, but even so, some sort of alarm should be going off.   
 He led the way to the next elevator. He cursed Apocalypse under his breath as he traveled, and then cursed Sammael. Apocalypse had designed the Sea Wall command center, but Sammael had separated the elevators, so that getting to the command room itself required certain knowledge of where it was. No elevator led to the same floor, and only a certain pattern of elevators would take them to the command room. Clever, yet stupid in it's own way.   
  "I think it's the next floor."  
 Angel turned a questioning look at him.   
 "You think? The reason you're leading us is that you knew the Sea Wall better than anyone else. If you don't know, that sort of negates the purpose does it not?"  
 Cyclops turned around. Antagonism was expected given the level of tension and stress they were in. He was about to give a sharp reply, when Jean broke in. 

 "Warren. You know as well as I do that it's only the stress making you talk. If you want to lead, go ahead. I'm sure Scott won't mind."  
 Angel shrugged uncomfortably.   
 "No… go ahead. I just feel very primed. Where the hell are all the guards? It feels like a trap."  
 Cyclops bristled at hearing those words, but Jean laid a pacifying hand on his arm.   
 * He didn't mean you, Scott. He's just worried. *  
 Cyclops nodded slightly.   
 "Rasputin… I don't know much about him, or how he thinks. He was stationed here, at the Sea Walls, and I was in charge of Apocalypse's armies in the Empire itself. I had little to do with the Sea Walls. I knew their function, who commanded the Sea Walls, as well as the structure of the Control Tower. Not much else. He's a powerful controller of space energies. He's powerful, but I don't know how strong. His power levels are comparable to those of Havok or even Sinister. He's a dangerous mutant, that much is certain."  
 Angel nodded, "As one of Apocalypse's higher hierarchy, I'd expect it."  
  They moved forward again, heading straight for large double doors set in the side of the corridor. Cyclops knew it to for what it was. A communications room. One of many set in this tower. Abandoned, seemingly. What was wrong? Even if the Externals had attacked the Sea Wall, there would still be some guards -  
 BWEEP, BWEEP.

Alarms like claxons rang out into the silence and stillness.  
 Cyclops cursed as he halted their progression. Alarms. An attack warning. The Externals had made their move. But where was security?  
 Double doors started sliding over the comm. room doors. Cyclops engaged his optic blast, smashing open the doors before they could shut. It took near half his full strength to blast them open. Strong. Apocalypse would not have had it any other way.

 Cyclops smiled slightly. The alarms had energized him. Things were more normal now. He had always been at his best in frantic situations. He reveled in being calm among the chaos, indeed took comfort in it.   
 "Inside. Storm, Nightcrawler, you guard the doors, sound a warning if need be. Jean, Angel, you're with me. There should be three monitors on each room, one on each wall, with control panels below each." The room was darkly empty, lit periodically with the alarm. Cyclops walked to the nearest monitor and brought it humming to life.   
 "Press the rounded green button on the left of the control panel to start it up. These are celestial in origin, so some markings may be foreign to you, but are like an execute for us – them."  
 He grimaced at his slip, but put it out of his mind. The others didn't seem to notice, apart from Angel who looked at him slightly askance.   
 He opened communications, when a half mechanical, half human voice filled the room. On the monitor on the left a cyborg-like face filled the screen. The top half of the face was nearly all metallic, with red glowing eyes and a sunken metallic nose. Nearly jet black hair fell from the top and back of his head. A grey earpiece gleamed in place of an ear on the left side of his head. Mikhail Rasputin. The brother of Colossus.  
 "So. Finally you reveal yourselves. I must admit I had a hard time pinpointing your locations. I am impressed. You weaved your way through this tower with the air of someone who knows it. Your treachery has disappointed us Cyclops. However Apocalypse expected you would be the one to make an assault on this  Control tower. We made it easy for you. We didn't change the codes for anything. You can travel freely ex- High prelate. However, I have some surprises for you. Come quickly, and don't keep me waiting too long."  
 The screen died. Cyclops clenched a fist in frustration. It had been a trap of sorts. Rasputin had been waiting for them to reveal themselves. 

It didn't matter. Now, all they had to do was reach Rasputin.   
 He turned in order to relay his commands to the X-men, when suddenly a smaller alarm rang out. A proximity alarm. He turned back to the radar screen on the front wall of the room. A small blip. A purple blip. Heading for the Control tower at great speed.   
 A purple blip. A high level aircraft. One even he would have needed authorization to use. An aircraft used frequently by the higher echelons of Apocalypses chain of command. Sinister maybe?  
 "What is it?" Jean. She must have sensed his worry.   
 "Trouble."   
 On the bottom left of the screen, figures flashed by, and finally a name appeared. Scott set his jaw grimly. Trouble indeed.   
 The name Sammael flashed on the bottom left of the screen. Things had gotten worse.

                                                         x-------------------x

 He moved stealthily through the ruins. He knew this foe, he had fought him before. One of the few memories he could truly recall with ease. Much of his life seemed fragmented, shattered. He only knew that he had to work for the dream of Professor Charles Xavier. That, and save this world from the ashes it had nearly fallen into. Erik the 'Red'. A name applied to many people. At least in the world he had come from… world he had come from? That sounded right, but it could not possibly be… could it? Bishop had not long to ponder on the thought when a blast of energy slammed into the ground beside him. He was here…   
 Bishop whirled around, ducking instinctively as a red beam of energy arced through the air where his head had been only moments before.   
 "We meet again, Bishop…"  
Bishop looked into the red mask of Erik the Red. The mutant looked different from the last time he had seen him. Of course, he had not sported the mask then. He had also been one of Apocalypse's generals. Now he was a Prelate.   
 Erik blasted at him again, but he sidestepped the blast with ease.  
 "Good. You have proven to me you are in good shape. I want to kill you, but I want there to be some challenge. Merely ambushing you and then killing you quickly would not give me my revenge. I would gain less satisfaction. Even if it would be more prudent to do so. Plague battles the X-men as we speak. The horseman will kill some of them. Perhaps none. But it is more likely that the horseman will win. It is fearsome."  
 Bishop let the man talk. His mind moved faster at times like this. He did not exactly revel in combat, but he preferred it to having too much free time. When wandering, his mind wandered, and he was confused most of the time. Now, he knew exactly what to do. He was in command of himself. And this Prelate was merely fodder for his power.  
 He pulled out a laser gun from behind his back. It was at half charge, some of it having been depleted whilst fighting against the Infinites.   
 "Enough talk. Let's finish this."  
 The large man rushed forward, blaster firing. Erik used his jet propulsion to escape the fire, and then flew overhead.  
 "A toy like that will not suffice to deal any damage to me Bishop. I expect better of you. Don't disappoint me."  
Bishop smiled slightly. He did not intend to.  
 His mutant powers would allow him to easily take care of Erik the Red.  
 Erik the Red began shooting blasts down at him. Bishop dodged them with ease.  
 Suddenly the rate of fire increased exponentially, and the rd beams rained down. One of them hit Bishop in the back and he fell groaning onto the rubble.   
 "Did you think I was as weak as before? I have made some modifications to myself Bishop. The mask is not all that is different about me. I also designed new gauntlets for myself. These allow me to increase the rate at which I fire, as well as supercharge the power. I could burn through this entire city. You will remain but ashes."  
 Bishop stood with some difficulty. The blow had burned him slightly, as well as done some damage to him otherwise. This was getting annoying.  
 "Shall we begin again Bishop? Round two? I hope you will put up more of a fight this time."  
 Bishop began moving, heading for shelter. Out in the open he stood little chance against the rapid firing of Erik the Red. 

 "Running are we? Pathetic." Open contempt filled his voice. Good. A contemptuous enemy was one who would fall faster.  
 The energy beams rained down again. Bishop had nearly made it when one hit his leg, knocking him to the ground, sending him rolling under cover. Grimacing Bishop moved a hand cautiously to inspect the damage to his leg. A nasty burn stood out, as well as some bruising. Now that he was under cover, it would be easier to deal with the Prelate.   
 "You can't hide from me Bishop. I told you I can supercharge my blasts. I will destroy all the cover here. Come out and face me, Bishop!"  
 Bishop took aim through a small hole and fired at Erik, sending the Prelate rolling in the air. Erik the Red howled with rage.   
 "Discretion is the better part of valor, Prelate. But I prefer to be discreet until I get a good shot."  
 He shot again, to divert the Prelates attention slightly, and then began moving to the side. He was limping, and that slowed him. He heard a strange humming, and then Erik screamed.  
 "Die!" A massive beam of energy smashed through the debris covering Bishops previous position, the steel and stone becoming ash in seconds. A blast like that would kill Bishop easily. 

 He was more dangerous, but only slightly so, than when he last faced him.  The mutant  was still too pompous for his own good.   
 Bishop aimed again from another little cubbyhole, and aimed for one of Erik's jet propellers. Bringing the bastard down would help. Level the playing field so to speak.  
 He didn't get the chance. Erik aimed right for his cubbyhole, and Bishop realized he would have to move fast. He squeezed off a shot, and leapt to the side, falling heavily out of cover. He looked to the side, aiming for Erik the red's relative position. He had moved, and was clutching one of his arms. He had managed to score a hit. He smiled slightly at his own luck. Erik moved with lightning quickness, and shot Bishops gun out of his hands.   
 "Now… you have given me a lot of trouble and pain. For all that you have done to me, I will make you suffer."  
 He shot Bishop again and again, and Bishop spasmed with every shot. His body burned, both inside and outside.  
 "It is time to die, Bishop."

A scream sounded in the background. Plague. Sounds of X-men shouting. Then, Plague screamed again. Erik's attention was momentarily diverted. Bishop summoned up all the energy he had gained from the Prelates attacks, and let it out in a great  beam of his own energy blast, striking Erik the red square in the chest. With a high pitched sound of fury, the Prelate fell to the earth.   
 Behind Bishop, he could feel great magnetic forces at work, and the continuing screams of Plague. It seemed the X-men had won.   
 Bishop hobbled over to Erik the Red. The Prelate lay on the ground, his chest smoking, his entire body burnt.  
 "It's over Prelate."  
 Bishop lifted the gun he had picked up again. He took a few steps back and with precision shot Erik the Red in the head. The Prelates head snapped back. Bishop smiled inwardly. So much for his great revenge. He half fell, half sat on the ground, and waited for the X-men or anyone to come and look for him.

                                            x---------------------x

 Logan stared, crouching, at the building in front of him. Around him were five of the Human High Council's premier operatives, including Von Doom and Susan Storm. Beatrix was there, part of the team. Johnny was there, always close to Beatrix. So was Mary Jane, and a blonde woman that Mary Jean seemed to know. Gwen Stacy. Kids, Logan thought dismissively. Three women, and two men, leading a group of twenty. The best the Council had to offer. And the X-men. Fisk had demanded Sentinels be sent, but the rest of the Council had dismissed the idea… at the time. It had been made clear to the X-men that if need be the Sentinels would be deployed to find and kill Death, and that they, as mutants would be in danger. Logan snorted. Even after all their help, they were treated with … not exactly hostility, but close enough. Logan blew a stair hair out of his eye. He heard thunder somewhere. He grunted in irritation. He really hated the weather, and the magnetic storm around Wundagore didn't help weather anywhere.   
 Von Doom was surveying Braddock's home with binoculars that dated back to world war 2… Logan recognized them. He snorted slightly. He didn't need the help, his sight was good enough to see most things the binoculars could.  
 He stood, and Von Doom turned around in irritation.  
 "Stay down, Weapon X! We don't want to alert him!"  
 Logan laughed hollowly.  
 "He already knows we're coming, Von Doom."  
 Susan spoke up then.  
 "We still don't want to attract to much notice, it might set off traps that he's set up."   
 "It won't matter. He'll have the traps set anyway. Besides, I don't think he has any… I think he wants to fight us." Betsy spoke certainly, with an edge of bleakness in her voice. She wanted vengeance for what Death had done to her brother. Logan would have to be careful in making sure no one got harmed because of her… then again, maybe an all out attack was the only way to beat the horseman. Logan had already fought one, Beast, and he didn't relish the thought of fighting another. Apocalypse's horsemen were annoyingly durable.   
 The X-men moved as one at Logan's command. Shiro took to the sky in a magnificent display of pyrotechnics. The humans watched for an instant before turning and moving as well, Von Doom muttering under his breath.   
 Suddenly Betsy screamed clutching at her head. Logan turned snarling, but found nothing. Peter had transformed to his steel self, but there was nothing there to fight. Betsy rose, gasping. Von Doom watched and then turned to give orders to the humans with him.   
 * Prick, what I'd give to just run him through. * Logan thought. The man just pissed the hell out of Logan by just being there. His supercilious attitude and his contempt towards even his own angered Logan. Then again he was gentler with Susan, and she apparently loved him, so he must not be all bad.   
 "Psionic attack… this is a dangerous mutant. My shields were barely enough to stop him from completely wiping me. He's playing with us Logan…"  
 Snikt. Logan unleashed a single claw. "We've killed one of his kind before this, Bets. We'll get him."  
 They moved again.   
 they had just reached the front of the half ruined building, when a surge of light illuminated the building. A shadowy figure hung in the air. Holographic image Logan judged.   
 Death was a sinister figure. Clad completely in black, only hints of the mutate inside showed through. In one gauntleted hand was clutched a scythe. The other was clenched by it's side. Two glowing blue eyes were visible below the hood. Through the gauntlets on the hands, glowing skeletal fingers could be seen.   
 "So, you come to my … humble… abode. I have been waiting for you long enough. When the telepath defeated my shadow in the flatscans mind, I was certain you would come. I have waited long enough to meet those who are among the group that defeated my brother horseman. Beast was no weakling. He and War were the two most gifted at destruction among us. I and Plague are better at killing silently and quickly. Which may prove to be better for me than you. Come, I wait."  
 Death flung it's hands apart, and a glimpse of what lay inside the cloak was revealed. A lighter colored bodysuit, through which glowing bones could be seen. There was a flash, and then Death disappeared.   
 "Well, we got ourselves an invite, let's go." 

  Logan gestured and Peter smashed through the wall.   
  
  Three minutes later the X-men smashed their way into the center of the house, the humans following close behind. Von Doom strode up to Logan.  
 "Where the hell do you get off, smashing your way into the place without consulting me! You ruined my carefully - " Von Doom stepped back as Logan pulled out his claws and put his stub on one of his shoulders.   
 "Look bub, I'm not too fond of your face. If you're not careful, I'm gonna remove it."

 Johnny separated the two men.   
 "Look, this won't help, we gotta find and fight Death, not each other."  
  Logan and Von Doom stared at each other for a few more seconds, before pulling back.   
 Von Doom turned and began taking a quick roll call. Logan had to admit he was slightly impressed by the mans sheer tenacity, as well as his courage. Not many people could stare him that directly in the eyes. He heard Von Doom calling out names. He checked on his own team, but the X-men stood, watching, primed for action. He felt a moment of pride. He had helped train the X-men, and although the watchfulness was probably inherent, he still felt satisfaction. They were good, and he had helped in making them so.  
 Behind he heard Von Doom begin to repeat two names. Nothing. Someone had fallen prey to Death already.   
 "Leave it Von Doom. You people are probably dead. I'm sorry, but I think we should begin moving. No splitting up. This guys telepathic, a psionic of the highest order as far as we can make out. We should sat close. This guy's only waiting to hit at us stealthily."  
 Von Doom seemed ready to argue, and then nodded, in complete agreement.   
    
 The attack when it came was not unexpected, but came so suddenly and with such ferocity that it left the X-men stunned, and the humans panicking. Death teleported above them, and fell among them, his scythe spinning in an arc around him. Two humans immediately fell to the ground, their heads decapitated. The two humans carrying EMP guns. Death was taking out long range attackers quickly. In one fluid motion Death stood.  
 "Come flatscans, I hunger for more of your life essence."  
 A psychic vampire. Figured. A mutant who fed on life energy. An apt power for Death. Apocalypse had made his horsemen with great care. Well, Weapon X thought, he had to have been doing something for those 5000 years he wasn't ruling half the world.   
 Weapon X attacked, but as fast he was, Death was faster. It seemed to just _flow_ out of the way of his attacks. Peter leapt to smash Death, but the horseman just moved to the side, and it's scythe flashed out. Rumik moved quickly and the ground flung Death back, but he teleported to the side.   
 "Very well done. Teamwork is always the key to victory is it not?"

 Weapon X was getting tired of the horseman's taunts. At this point the humans began attacking. With the X-men converging on Death, the humans began firing. Death teleported away again, and the blasts just hit empty air, and the ground.   
 "Flatscans…. Do you really think your weapons can harm me, in any way?"  
 He crouched and flung his hands aside, and immediately three of the humans who had been firing fell backwards, their heads exploding. 

 "Weak, Von Doom. I expected some sort of shielding against telepathic attack…. Oh I see…. There is, just not on everyone, hmmm?"  
 Death's grating hollow voice was getting on Weapon X's nerves. AS he moved to attack, the roof suddenly burst open to reveal Sunfire speeding down towards Death.  
 "Die! Horseman!"   
Death looked up in anger as Sunfire sent a massive jet of fire his way. His coat caught on fire, and he fell back, his voice wailing in pain.  
 "So, this one is not impervious to fire?" Sunfire sounded … happy. Weapon X would have been disturbed if Sunfire had not been doing exactly what was necessary at the time. He continued pumping jets of fire onto Death. The humans began firing as well, and soon Death was covered under a barrage of blasts and fire. Rumik sent the earth rising and then smashing down onto Death. Weapon X smiled grimly as the humans began yelling in triumph. The fools had no idea what a horseman could do. From Johnny's expression, and that on the rest of the X-men Weapon X knew they didn't think Death was out yet either.   
 Suddenly the mounds of earth that Rumik was using to crush Death with disintegrated. The humans stopped celebrating. Death rose form the ground and began floating in mid air. Its cloak was torn badly, and armor showed beneath; blue glowing skeleton form underneath it. It's hood was further back, and a skeletal head could be seen.   
 "I am finished toying with you." This time there was no taunt. Deaths voice was as final as it's name.   
 Death spun it's scythe in an arc, and a thin ray erupted from its end, heading straight for Johnny Storm.   
 "No!" Beatrix yelled and flung Johnny to the side, and the ray passes cleanly through her left breast. A spark issued and Beatrix fell back, blood and sparks erupting from the wound. Johnny screamed in fury and anguish. Weapon X was shocked. The woman was half robot.   
 Even Death was taken aback. Then his eyes flashed.  
 "So…. A prime sentinel… I had heard they were in production, but a working model…. My master will be most interested in this."

 Death began waking towards Beatrix. He waved a hand, and a glowing shield surrounded him. Johnny turned in anger, and pointed at Death.  
 "You… you did this!"  
  Death nodded.

 "I will be taking her now." He waved his hand and Johnny fell to the side. But Johnny leapt up again. The humans had begun firing on Death, but the blasts just got absorbed by the shield. As Death reached for Beatrix, Johnny grabbed its arm. As he did he yelled in agony. Death looked up.   
 "Foolish little human. I feed on your very thoughts. You cannot stop me."  
 Suddenly from below him Beatrix's arms transformed to cannons.   
 "Subject: Jonathan Storm under attack. Proceeding with Primary directives. Must protect Jonathan Storm."  
 Beatrix fired , two cannons blazing with fury, a gust of flame and energy that took off Deaths head. Or so it seemed. Beatrix managed to completely remove the hood. Below the hood, Death's face was revealed. A glowing skull rested on Deaths shoulders, with blue fire surrounding it. It's eyes glowed with blue fire. There was no expression on its face as it reached down and sank it's hand into Beatrix's chest. Beatrix spasmed and arched up, almost as though in ecstasy. Then the sentinel's body fell back, and its went dull. Death withdrew its hand from a smoking hole in Beatrix's chest. Von Doom stared in anger at the remains of the Prime Sentinel. 

 "Special Force…. ATTACK!"  
 Weapon X nodded, and pointed at Death. Beatrix hadn't just revealed Death, her blast had also dissolved the shield. As Death rose, it saw the humans and X-men converging on him.  
  "Truly, a worthy fight. It is a pity I must leave it now." Death then stood tall, and raised it's staff in the air. Clutching the body of Beatrix, it teleported.   
 The X-men and the Humans were left staring at the inert body of Johnny Storm on the ground, and the various humans lying dead.   
  
                                             x----------------------------------x

Magnus sat in the chair, head bowed, his arms resting on the armrest. His body still shook with shock and reaction. The past few hours had been among the most harrowing in his life, and he had plenty harrowing hours to compare with. When he had seen Rogue lying on the ground, ready to die if it meant the destruction of Plague… in that moment he had seen red literally. His very life had been on the line. Rogue… she was his life, without her he would have been lost a long time ago. And now… now she lay in the med-lab, with their son. With their son… Magnus did not… could not allow himself to think about him now. Rogue had nearly died. It had taken great precision and deft work by the doctors on board to finally manage to save both Rogue and … the baby.   
 Magnus had been relieved, and had relaxed. Reaction had set in then, but the shocks kept on coming. His son was not obviously a mutant, although his powers may develop later, but there was something wrong with the boy. The doctors could not explain it, but Magnus was certain of what it had to be. The boy had been touched by Plague, and due to it his life –force was fading fast. It had to be the only explanation. Rogue's white streak had increased to nearly cover half her hair. She had been left exhausted and bordering on death. It had taken Magnus and Sabretooth both letting Rogue drain them that she had survived.   
 That was one of the reason Magnus sat in the chair. The door opened and Wanda walked in.   
 "Father… I have just come from the med-lab. I wanted to update you on Rogue's condition… and your sons. She is still stable, and she's awake. She wants to see you. Also, my… brother is…"  
 She didn't finish her sentence. With a speed reminiscent of his sons Magnus was out of the room. Wanda smiled and sat in the chair her father had previously occupied. Her father deserved some joy in his life, and Rogue and the baby had provided that. For that Wanda was willing to completely change her outlook on Rogue. The baby had proven to her that Rogue was simply a friend, not someone to be jealous of. She remembered the petty nonsense that she  had carried on with earlier. Well, not Remy, he had some reason, but her behavior had been petty. 

 She sighed and sat back in the chair. Poor Remy. She missed his irreverent humor; it had diminished the grimness around them. Humor was something they would need, if they wanted to survive the next few days. With Sean and Rogue on the critical list, they were short two much needed hands. While Bishop's arrival had given them an extra mutant fighter, they didn't know too much about him. Still, he would fit in some way. With Rogue and Sean, they had not had the time to deal with anything else. However, their side was managing to keep defeating Apocalypses side. They had stropped his attack on Avalon, and stopped a culling. Teams had been dispatched to the Sea Wall and the Human high Council. However, Apocalypse's armies were still vast in number, and they were too few.   
  
                                                 x-------------------x

 "No!" Apocalypse stood from his throne, knocking the unfortunate Madri giving his report to the side, sending him straight into the wall, where his head burst open like a melon. The others in the room, the Shadow King and various other Madri turned in surprise. Apocalypse clenched his fist and spoke in a whisper, but the others sensed the menace in what he was saying by his very posture.   
 "Another horseman, fallen to the X-men. My forces are being whittled away slowly. The power levels should have warned me."

 He turned to the Madri sitting at one terminal. The Madri blanched and shrank back as Apocalypse walked up to him. Apocalypse raised a fist, and the Madri cowered below him, expecting to be squashed very soon. Instead Apocalypse began operating the controls of the terminal, and the entire west coast appeared on the main screen. Apocalypse hit another button and the lower part of the west coast was enlarged. Sporadic balls of glowing light appeared, and Apocalypse watched them for nearly ten minutes. At this point War entered the great room. She looked urgently to Apocalypse, but her master waved a hand at her. She stood and watched with Apocalypse. Finally Apocalypse spoke.  
 "So… it IS the X-men who are responsible. Ah Magneto, such power. If only you had not been foolish enough to believe in that fool Xavier. His thoughts were misguided, irrational. And you fell in with him. By my side you would have been among my greatest warriors. One of those who I would have handed bounty beyond compare. Now…. Now you are but one who will be forgotten, destroyed by the weakness of your emotions and heart. You may have defeated my horseman, but I have more. Your forces will fall to mine soon enough. Till then, I shall bide my time, as I have always done. Time is on my side, as it has been, as it will be."

 He turned and pressed another button on the terminal, and the screen froze.   
 He turned to War when a communication channel opened up.  
 Death appeared on screen, his hood missing, and the fire around his head flaring brightly.   
 "Master! Has Plague…"  
He shook his head, and then looked at Apocalypse.  
 "So, Plague too has demised. I can guess at its reason. The X-men have ruined my plans here as well, Master. However I have found something valuable. A Prime Sentinel. She is well built, and could potentially take down a mutant. I have not had a chance to study it properly, but I will teleport to the Sea Wall, and then travel to the Tower."  
 Apocalypse stared at Death, and then nodded.  
 "Yes. Very well. You have guessed correctly, the X-men are indeed responsible for Plagues death. They are getting more and more bothersome lately. I must deal with them soon. Yes… very soon."  
 Apocalypse waved a hand, and Death's face disappeared from the screen. He clenched his fist in anger. He then turned to War.  
 "I have had enough. Summon the Prelates and my Externals. Which would be Candra and Exodus… Gather as many infinites as you can. Also, relay a message to Holocaust. Tell him to stop the culling he has begun and move immediately to San Diego. The X-men are there right now. They will be weary form their encounter with Plague. We will force the X-men to realize exactly what it means to cross swords with Apocalypse."  
 

                                              x------------------------------x

  "Move!" Archangel flew straight up, desperately hoping that the others had heard his warning. As soon as he had entered the large hangar type room, he had been certain that there was danger here. His perception had been proven accurate when armed soldiers jumped out from behind the various ships in the hangar. And not just soldiers, but mutant units, fitted with mind control chips. It had been a while since they had last faced those. The unit commander flew up to meet him. Archangel looked at the mutant on his heels. A flyer, definitely, with large wings instead of hands, and an evil beaked mouth.  Malevolent eyes glared at him, tiny beads set deep in the face. A veritable bird mutant. Archangel smiled. They would see who the best mutant was. No mutant had ever been able to out fly him. He began an upward ascent, with the commander following him. However Archangel had an extra set of limbs, his wings in this case, while the pursuer had only winged hands. They swooped around the top rafters and catwalks, each attempting to gain some sort of supremacy over the other. Archangel avoided the commanders attacks with easy grace, frustrating the commander. Archangel knew the fight was his. With a sudden burst of speed Archangel swept upwards, and arched himself backwards, his stomach lightly grazing the ceiling. And then he was behind the commander, who was desperately trying to turn around. Not fast enough. Archangel collided with the commander, sending him spiraling down. At the last second, he grabbed the commanders wings, jerking him short and pulling the arm out of the socket. The commander howled in agony, and Archangel left him, sending him crashing to the floor, clutching his dislocated shoulder. Archangel smiled. This bird was no match for him.   
 meanwhile, Cyclops and Jean had quickly gotten to the center and stood back to back, Cyclops knocking down mutant units with his visor, while Jean hurled others around telekinetically. As for the humans Jean ruthlessly shut their brains down, not wasting time trying to just knock them unconscious. To do that she would have had to destroy the implants, and that would take time she did not have. She felt some pity for these humans, but she did not have time for pity, not really. Cyclops was no less ruthless, his optic blasts shredding armor before their might. Easy pickings for Kurt, who teleported behind them and skewered them with his saber. The remainder Storm neatly scooped up in an air current, and hurled them out of the Sea Wall, into the chaos outside.   
 "This was a futile maneuver. Rasputin might be stupid enough to take us this lightly, but not Sammael. There's something more going on here."  
 Cyclops stood around, watching warily. Archangel took a circuit of the room, and finding nothing returned.   
 "There's no one here. We should move on. Standing here gains us nothing."  
 Cyclops nodded, and they moved onward.   
 Archangel flew above, his superior eyesight detecting nothing ahead, or in the shadows. Even though he could find nothing, his every instinct screamed danger. Cyclops had figured it out logically, his instincts knew something was wrong. However his earlier statement was also correct. Standing around did not gain anything.   
 Archangel swooped around the next corner, and found the next elevator they needed.   
 AS the others came around, Cyclops ran forward.  
 "This is it. The final elevator. This'll take us to the brain of the Sea Wall, the control room, and it's subsidiary rooms. Rasputin will be waiting there. We'll need to take him out fast, so we can't afford to waste time. He's a dangerous mutant, with powers with which he can manipulate the entire space around him. He can also teleport. With Apocalypse's enhancements, and other experimentation after Colossus crushed the side of his face, he's stronger and faster than a normal human, plus he can manipulate energy fields around him in almost telekinetic form. He's a dangerous mutant."

 Nightcrawler ported beside Cyclops.   
 "Ja, we know all zis. We do not need to be told ze obvious. Let's go. I for one cannot wait to battle Rasputin. For ze simple reason of what hiz continuing existence does to mein freund Piotr."  
 Cyclops nodded and entered commands.  
 "Good enough. We'll have to disable the Sea Wall quickly, so just destroy everything. We'll worry about Rasputin after we wreck his toy."  
 The X-men entered the elevator. Archangel still felt the niggling worry in his mind.   
  
 Cyclops looked around him. The elevator was moving quickly enough. AS in most closed spaced he was feeling threatened. A small place like this was open to attack, and he knew there was an attack coming. They had no choice though. They had to go here. No one else seemed to like it. Nightcrawler seemed relaxed, leaning against the wall, as did Jean, standing next to him calmly. But Archangel and Storm looked around warily as well. Archangel was a suspicious character by nature, though his mutant instincts might be kicking in. Birds were in general very aware of their surroundings, and Archangel had a birdlike mutation. Storm was also tense, but that could be because of her claustrophobia. She was also gifted in leadership. Cyclops could see that easily. She had the grace and calmness required of every leader. She was also a good strategist. During the ride to the Sea Wall she had come up with some interesting tactics based on what he had told them about the Sea Wall. Of course, the appearance of the Externals had made them revise all their plans quickly. For that matter, where were the externals? Sammael's appearance was probably due to them. He had always been hell bent on destroying them. Cyclops thought he knew why now. With his brother Halfbane around, Sammael had good cause. He wondered if Halfbane knew Sammael was here. Probably. Despite his madness, Halfbane had a very intelligent mind, and knowing his flair for dramatics, he may have chosen the Sea Wall as the perfect place to finish his battle with his brother.   
 Still, that was all academic. Right now… -

 The elevator shuddered, and then slowed down. The lights flickered, went out and then came back on. The elevator was moving again, but this time it was moving to the left.   
 "So, this was his plan. Be ready for anything."  
 The elevator stopped again and then rose. Finally it came to a stop. Nightcrawler moved back, staying at the back, in order to teleport in front of the rest when the time to attack came. A good tactic. Nightcrawler was another with fine leadership qualities. 

 The door opened up into a room in shadow.   
 "So, you finally come. I've waited a long time for this. Rotting here in the Sea Wall, I get no chances for a good fight. The last time was when I had a little skirmish against my brother. Too bad it ended. I need to get rid of some pent up aggression. Fighting you ought to do."  
 The chair in the center of the room turned. So… this was Apocalypses throne room in the Sea Wall. He wouldn't like the idea of Rasputin sitting in it. Cyclops began to send some of his energy into his gauntlets. He would need every bit of help against this sort of opponent. Not that he was alone. Even then, the five of the might not be enough to take on Rasputin and Sammael.  
 His ruby red visor helped him in darkness. He was not nearly blinded like the rest. Sammael was here, watching. Cyclops guessed that Rasputin was not aware of Sammael yet either. It would be easier to get Sammael out in the open.  
 "So, Sammael. Why hide in the shadows. Why not come out in the open. I know you are there."  
 A voice spoke out of the darkness.

 "Your voice has lost much of its submissiveness High Prelate. You were a good general, it will be a pity to have to kill you. However, this fight should be a good warm up."  
 Cyclops smiled.  
 "Yes, for the Externals, and your brother."  
 Rasputin had been looking into the darkness, and as Sammael appeared he turned to face him.  
 "When did you arrive here external? I thought you were still in the control room. Who is left to protect that now!"  
 Sammael laughed.  
 "It is insignificant. I admire you more High prelate. You know much. Then again, Halfbane was always one to make temporary alliances."  
 Rasputin was still confused.  
 "Halfbane? What is this about alliances! You are not telling me something external!"  
 Sammael laughed again.  
 "There is a great deal I have not told you Mikhail. Your brain is too limited to understand. I should have hidden myself better. The X-men would have mopped the floor with you. Your brain has no capacity for tactics. You are a soldier Mikhail, and fairly inept at that. Why do you think Apocalypse left you here? He has no use for you elsewhere. You have great power, but no mental aptitude. Come now, we shall finish our discussions after we destroy these X-men."  
 Sammael stepped forward.  
  
   In the control Room of the Sea Wall, the floor was smashed open, and the externals leapt in. The guards and the operators stood quickly, but they were no match for the externals. With an almost careless gesture Behamen influenced each guard in the room that they were their masters. Then Asmodeus and Astaroth killed the rest. Halfbane looked around. His brother was near.   
 "Continue dismantling this place. I have found what I came for."

 Halfbane blasted apart the side of the room. A hidden passageway was there. He smiled. He could sense his brother better now. He was but a few moments away. He began running.  
  
 Sammael launched his first salvo in the form of a projectile based completely of energy. The X-men quickly scattered to avoid it, and began attacking as well.  
  "Archangel, head right, Jean head left., Storm, Nightcrawler take on Rasputin, jean, Archangel and I will take on Sammael."  
 He moved with desperate urgency. He was gratified to see the others had followed his commands without any hesitation. Nightcrawler ported himself and Storm behind Rasputin, just as the ground reared up where they had been standing. Rumik had much the same powers as Rasputin, but Rasputin was far more powerful. He could not afford to split his concentration between the two enemies. Sammael was too powerful and skilled to not give his full attention to. Storm and Nightcrawler could handle themselves.   
 He sent three blasts Sammael's way, but the external had already moved aside. Archangel swooped in, but veered away from Sammaels energy blast at the last second. The flyer was smart enough o know he would be of little use other than as a distraction. Sammael was stronger than him, though not as fast in the air. Plus, Sammael was near invulnerable. Jean blasted at him with telekinetic attacks, while Cyclops pelted him with optic blasts. Sammael was barely staggered, and he quickly began blocking each attack with his armor. He then returned fire, and Cyclops and Jean both moved out of the way of two energy balls. Out of the corner of his eye, Cyclops saw Nightcrawler go flying towards the wall. However he ported away just before his skull smashed against the wall. Cyclops stood, but before he could do anything, Sammael was on him. He was lifted into the air, with Sammael crushing his windpipe. Cyclops gasped for air, and punched Sammael in the stomach, charging his gauntlets to increase damage. Sammael let him go and took a step back. Cyclops fell to the ground, his head spinning as he regained his breath. Sammael was thrown to the side as Jean hurled him away with a telekinetic attack, and Archangel kicked him to the side with both feet, swooping down form the air like a true to life guardian angel. However, Sammael was barely stunned by the attack, and he landed on his feet. He sent an energy blast towards Archangel that knocked him into the wall, and he slid down, his chest smoking slightly. Cyclops got to his feet with difficulty. Archangel was down for a few moments.   
   Sammael was not attacking however.  
 "I applaud you X-men. You have actually managed to withstand me for a few moments. It ends now though." Sammael moved his hands in front of him, bent slightly at elbow, till they joined. He flung them aside, and two gleaming blades came out of the gauntlets he wore.   
 "Do you like them, X-men? They are my personal weapons. Adamantium swords. Do I remind you of Weapon X?"  
 He flourished the blades, and then moved forward. Sammael had just gotten more dangerous.   
  Cyclops and jean backtracked before the advancing external. Their body armor may have absorbed some of his earlier physical attacks, but nothing could stop Adamantium. Cyclops knew he could blast them apart with his optic blasts, but even that required nearly all his power, and he would be spent after the blast. He readied himself for a difficult fight, probably his last. Beside him Jean steeled herself, knowing Cyclops feelings through their link, and fearing the worst as well.  
 At that point the wall was smashed open, and Halfbane flew into the room, smashing into Sammael.   
 The brothers smashed into the ground, where Halfbane began choking Sammael.   
 "Well met brother. It has been along time."  
 Sammael squirmed under his brother and managed to get one arm free. He slashed at Halfbane, but his brother had already moved away. Sammael stood, coughing slightly.  
 "Not long enough brother. I do not know how you survived, but I will kill you this time."  
 Halfbane laughed slightly.  
 "My survival is a secret brother. It appears you have new toys. Do you wish to see mine?"

Part of Halfbane's black armor detached at a touch, and Halfbane lifted it. In gleamed once, and Cyclops saw that it was actually a blade, made of all black metal.   
 "Mine is Adamantium too brother, painted black to hide within my armor."  
 Halfbane's chest armor now had a stylized sunken region, shaped like his sword. Clever, thought Cyclops.   
  "Come brother. Let us join in glorious battle."  
 Sammael did not reply, merely running forward, swinging his blades in an arc, attempting to skewer Halfbane. Halfbane brought his sword and managed to block the attack. Blue sparks came out as the three swords met, a clashing sound that seared the X-men and Rasputin's ears. The two brothers remained locked in position for a few seconds, and then they jumped apart, Sammael dodging back a few feet, while Halfbane spun his sword into a ready stance.   
  The two brothers were completely focused on their fight, and Cyclops noticed that Rasputin was as well.

 He sent a thought to Jean.  
  * tell the others to attack Rasputin now, while he's distracted. *  
Jean gave a mental equivalent of a nod. The other X-men seemed to withdraw for a few seconds, and the looked at Cyclops. Archangel was up as well. They moved slightly, making sure not to attract attention, and then attacked Rasputin. Before Rasputin could register it, he was hit by three optic blasts, wind buffeted him, and a telekinetic vice grabbed him, nearly immobilizing him. Archangel struck then, swooping down to attack him, as did Nightcrawler, porting behind him and striking with his saber. Cyclops ran forward, and struck with his charged gauntlets, knocking Rasputin into a wall.   
  

                                       x---------------------------------------x

  Sammael and Halfbanes fight had escalated. Adamantium met Adamantium again and again, as they used every trick they knew to knock each other down for good. Finally Halfbane lunged forward, flying through the air, and smashed into Sammael, their blades still clashing as Halfbane propelled them towards the wall. They smashed through and the two floated in midair, with the raging maelstrom attempting to knock them out as well. Sammael smiled in appreciation. A sound tactic. His brother had more room to attack now. His blades were part of his armor, Halfbanes was clutched in hand. Consequently he need more space. His sword was also a broadsword by design, while his were thinner and sleeker, more saber-like than broadsword. Still, the open air was good for him as well. The two brother rushed together, their swords meeting, as they flew around each other, attempting to destroy the other. Halfbane could swing harder now, and his sword nearly took off Sammaels head many times. However Sammael also nearly succeeded in skewering his brother many times. They were evenly matched, as they had been from birth. Nearly three millennia ago. Now, they fought, at long last, a final battle. Sammael knew it, as did Halfbane. Halfbane had planned it so. Sammael had known it once he knew who had attacked the Sea Wall. Apocalypse knew it too, Sammael was sure of it. He knew full well, that whoever won this battle would be weakened beyond compare, and easy pickings for Apocalypse. Sammael knew and did not care. All his life, his main goal had been to destroy his brother. Everything else paled beside the enmity he had for him. Sammael moved forward, reassessing his strategy. He would have to attempt to force him to focus on one saber, so that he could use the other. A select combination of moves would suffice only. Halfbane was streaking towards him, his mind also formulating a plan. He would focus on one saber, and destroy it. The gauntlets were the key.   
 The two brothers met. Sammael began using his sabers in tandem, attacking together, while his brother knocked them aside, then he began using them at different points. His brother blocked one and parried the other. Finally, Sammael thought, he favors one blade. Halfbane too was thinking similarly. He focused on the blade he was blocking not parrying. He blocked it again, and then finally spun around, knocking one blade completely aside, and bringing his sword to bear on the others gauntlet. He smiled as he saw Sammael had left it open for him. His sword smashed into the gauntlet, cracking the armor beneath it. Sammael grimaced in pain, and then thrust his saber at Halfbane.   
 Halfbane finally realized what Sammael was doing, and flew aside desperately. Sammael's remaining saber plunged into his shoulder. Halfbane yelled in pain, and used his sword to completely destroy the other gauntlet. Sammaels right gauntlet and saber fell to the sea below. Sammael shook his head and began pulling his saber out. As it came free Halfbane let go of his sword and grabbed it with both hands. Sammael blinked in surprise, and Halfbane used his supernormal strength to pull it out of the gauntlet. Sammael screamed as the electrical feedback detonated the gauntlet. He pulled his arm free of the gauntlet, and watched it fall to the sea below, along with his saber. Halfbane had backtracked clutching his bleeding shoulder. The two brothers faced each other across the open air.   
 "You are a fool brother. Apocalypse is waiting for this battle to finish before he attacks one of us. Neither of us will live beyond this day. For me it does not matter if Apocalypse kills me. My only goal has been the eradication of the externals. Until you reappeared on the scene. Years ago I was cheated of the chance to kill you. Now, I will do what I had set out to do millennia ago. Kill you."  
 Halfbane was not listening. He had miscalculated. He intended to kill his brother, but he also intended to live beyond. His goals all along had been to kill his brother and then use the Sea Walls against Apocalypse. Weakening his defense and using it against him, so that when he arrived to face Apocalypse, the monster would have been weakened sufficiently for him to dispose of him. Then Halfbane would rule all. However if what Sammael said was true, and Halfbane realized it probably was, he would be the one too weak to fight against Apocalypse. Apocalypse was stronger than him at his full power, and in his weakened state he would be easy pickings.   
 "NO!" Halfbane let go of his shoulder and charging up his energy he pumped an energy beam towards Sammael.   
 "Fool. Our powers cancel out!" Sammael countered with his own beam of energy. The two continued pumping energy out, until the point the two met began glowing with unearthly energy. 

 "Very well, brother. This suits my purpose anyway. We both will die."  
 Halfbane realized the truth in what his brother was saying again. However his path was now set. Better if they both died anyway, than Apocalypse kill him.   
 Both moved closer, furiously pumping more energy into the growing mass in the center. Finally they were close enough to touch each other, the mass in the center all that was keeping the apart. Halfbane looked into his brothers eyes. Suddenly Sammael stopped pumping energy and grabbed Halfbane, pulling him towards him, directly into the mass. Halfbanes energy blast smashed into Sammael, but Sammael pulled him towards him, directly into the glowing mass. At the physical entry of Halfbane into the mass, it exploded.

                                          x------------------------x

   Inside, the X-men were busy fighting Rasputin. The mutant had managed to recover from their first assault. He got up off the floor, and stood, looking at them, his back against the wall of the room. Cyclops noticed his gaze go towards the fight outside. He could not expect help from there. Sammael and Halfbane had begun their battle, and only the death of one would finish it. Without his external ally, Rasputin could not face all of them. 

  "Give up Rasputin and you may even die a quick death." Cyclops wanted no misunderstandings here. Rasputin was going to die. Rasputin knew it as well. Cyclops saw his half robotic face seemingly sag in despair, and then Cyclops saw the malevolent glow. Rasputin was desperate, and desperate men were deadly.   
 A part of the ground suddenly came alive, and bound Jean and Cyclops together. Smart. Maybe Rasputin wasn't as lacking in tactical ability as Sammael thought. With his next move he knocked Storm into the wall, which immediately began to suck her in, binding her into it. That left Archangel and Nightcrawler free at the immediate moment, and they were both physical, close range attackers. Still, Jean did not need to be free to attack. Her telepathic bolts staggered him. A telepathic attack would not work too well against Rasputin, as he too was protected from telepathic attack by the implants. For someone of his rank, the implant would be strong. A mental shutdown was not an option. Rasputin immediately sent the ground to attack the other two, immobilizing them as well. He then turned and ran toward the control room. Nightcrawler quickly ported out of the ground, porting Archangel out as well. Storm ripped the wall from her with a powerful claw of wind from outside. Cyclops powered out using his gauntlets, and Jean levitated out using her telekinesis. 

 Rasputin couldn't run from them. From what Cyclops had guessed, the externals had reached the control room. Halfbane had come form that direction. It made sense that that was their target all along. Well, the rest of the external's target anyway. Rasputin's cry of surprise only confirmed what he guessed. He moved towards the passageway, the others following.  
 "Let's go. The externals are in the control room. We'll stop Rasputin."

 At that point an enormous explosion shook the building. The throne room was obliterated, as was half of the passage they were in. Archangel cried out as he was knocked down, one of his wings impaled by a falling beam. Nightcrawler ported him out of the way of the falling debris, as Jean shielded them in a telepathic bubble. The very ground was crumbling before their eyes. The destructive power of the combined energies of the two brother externals had destroyed one side of the Sea Wall. Much like when  Archenfaal had imploded himself, the Sea Wall reeled from the blast. However the Sea Wall was built to take energy blasts. While it did not have quite the shielding the tower did, it was built to weather severe punishment. The maelstrom was bad enough, and the Sea Wall could withstand it. Even so, the blast took off most of its head. The X-men crowded to the back of Jeans bubble, and part of the blast hit it. However, Jean held out, and the shield shuddered, but remained. The effort drove Jean to her knees and Cyclops huddles over her protectively. Then a smaller shockwave hit, and the effort of maintaining the shield knocked Jean out. Cyclops jumped on top of her protectively, screaming a final order.  
 "Take Cover!"  
 The reverberations shook the entire Sea Wall, and the control room was badly effected. Rasputin had just entered, and had just found the externals waiting for him, destroying his precious instruments. Rasputin had cried out in surprise, and then the explosion had taken place. He was knocked forward by the shockwave, and the externals reeled about drunkenly as the tower shuddered.   
  Even Death, teleporting in from London felt the reverberations. With the body of the Prime Sentinel in hand, the horseman moved forward, attempting to find out what exactly had caused this.

                             x----------------------------------------------x

 "Von Doom! I want to know exactly what a Prime Sentinel is!"  
 Johnny Storm had regained consciousness and had resisted all attempts by his sister to calm him down. He walked up to Von Doom and stared down the security and defense commander of the human high Council.   
 "Prime Sentinel?" Von Doom took the easy way out, lying to his wives brother.   
 Logan knew he was lying, he could sense it. The question was why? It made no sense to lie about it now; everyone had heard Death identify it, and Beatrix had done her whole 'parameters – save Jonathan Storm' routine. Logan thought about it for a few seconds, and then he noticed Susan. The woman was looking… regretful.   
 "What the hell is going on, Von Doom!"  
 Von Doom finally sighed and looked at his brother-in-law. He put a hand on his shoulder, but Johnny shrugged it off. Finally Von Dom spoke.  
 "The Prime Sentinels are our elite guard. There aren't many of them in production, but the few there are protect the Human high Council. Your personal protector was Beatrix. When she was converted, she was close to death… a bad choice of words there… well, the Prime Sentinels are given extended life, but at a cost, in order to serve the Human high Council." Von doom looked at Moira, "Your husband had worked them out with me. Only the two of us knew about it in the beginning." He turned back to Johnny.  
 "Beatrix was… Susan's idea. She felt giving a pretty young thing for you to be with would be beneficial to you. She was worried that you were getting too morose, and depressed, especially since Crystal was killed with the rest of the Avengers in Asia. That was a long time ago, but you had not gotten over your one-time love. Beatrix was the answer to your problems… sort of."  
 Susan looked angrily at her husband, and then turned to Johnny, who looked shell-shocked.  
 "I had to Johnny. I was getting worried…"  
 Johnny shook his head.  
 "Leave it be, sis. I'm not feeling very understanding right now."  
 Logan shook his head. What a soap opera… if with a bit of a twist. He turned around and looked at his X-men.   
 "Split up, we gotta find Moira… Moira and Mariko Yashida." The name caused a web of pain in his gut. Mariko… she had been the great love of his life. And then she had died…Logan bowed his head to deal with remembered pain. Then he looked up. It didn't matter. He had to find Moira and Mariko. If it _was_ his Mariko… well he would deal with it as soon as he could.  
 The X-men began moving out.   
The Humans were still watching the confrontation between Johnny and Von Doom. Logan snorted and moved on.   
 Brian Braddock's living quarters weren't all that big, and the X-men with Shadowcat's abilities found the women easily enough. By this time the Human high Council had joined them with their little army, and they looked in horror at the room in which the two women were kept. The women were in some sort of cell, and the area outside it was kept dark. However, there was a teleportation device there, and it still hummed slightly from recent use. Logan eyed it for a second and then looked towards the two prisoners. His breath caught in his throat.   
 "M'iko…" he whispered softly. It was his Mariko… his fiancé. Moira was holding her up.  
 "Glad to see you're finally here X-men." Logan barely heard her, he was staring at the woman in her arms.   
 "M'iko…" He said the name louder this time. The other X-men stared at him. Logan walked forward until he was right next to Moira. He reached out and helped up Mariko. The woman lifted her chin and stared at him. Logan remembered her so well… He was caught in her eyes, the slightly slanted eyes. He cupped her check in his palm.  
 "Logan-sama!" The words came out in gasp from Mariko's mouth. Then suddenly she did something unexpected. She shrank back from him, getting back into the prison. 

 "No, you must not see me! Not now. Not like this! I cannot… I have.. what I have done… no!"   
 Logan stared at her in consternation. He was confused.   
 Kitty wasn't. She had seen Von Dooms reaction to the woman. She knew it was up to her to explain to Logan... before Von Doom said anything. Logan's blood was up because of Deaths attack. She walked up to him and touched his shoulder lightly. He jumped and look at her inquisitively. She placed a gentle hand on his arm.   
 "The Japanese woman is Moira's protector Logan. Like Beatrix."  
 Logan's eyes widened. He stared at her, and then at Mariko Yashida. He looked around him helplessly for a second. Then he clenched his fists together. He looked up at the sky and screamed in anger, his cry reverberating through the quarters. Some of the humans shrank back from the completely animal cry. Kitty backed away slightly from Logan as well.   
 Logan's mind couldn't grasp the idea. Mariko… a Prime Sentinel? No…it was impossible. But his senses and his brain were confirming it. It was his heart that was resisting. His heart that couldn't believe it. His lovely Mariko… he thought he had found her again. He _had_ found her again. Only to lose her again. He turned and fixed Von Doom with a glare, which even the unflappable human shrank back from.   
 Logan focused all his frustration, his rage into one single purpose.   
 "Come on X-men. We found the good doctor, an figgered out what was causin all the problems in London. Now we deal with the problem." Logan was channeling his emotions into actions. It was lesson both Xavier and Jean had taught him. The two people who had changed him from the monster he had become to the mutant he was now. He owed it to their memory to not break down, not now when people needed him to be in complete control. He looked at the teleportation device.   
 "An Death's left us an easy way to get wherever he went. Kitty, figger out where he went, and if it's workable for us to go where he went. We need to find the bastard and stop him, but if he's gone to the heart of Apocalypse's Tower, we ain't gonna help no one going there."   
 Kitty moved to the machine, pausing to clasp his shoulder in a silent gesture. Logan nodded, and shrugged off her hand. Kitty walked over to the teleporter and studied it.   
 "It's pretty simple. It's still set to the co-ordinates Death went to. Unless, he switched them. But that's impossible. Hmmm… oh, yes I do believe this will be easy."  
 Logan watched her deliberate for a few seconds before his patience snapped.   
 "Dammit. Kitty, can we follow him?"  
 Kitty seemed a bit surprised and looked at him.  
 "Oh, of course. Just get onto the machine; I'll set the co-ordinates and we go. And it isn't Apocalypse's tower. In fact, we might be meeting some old friends." Kitty grinned at the end.   
 Logan was getting annoyed now. Which was not good for his, or anyone else in the room's health.   
 "Quit bein cryptic, and tell me straight. Where did Death go?"  
 Kitty's smile widened.   
 "The Sea Wall control Tower. Cyclops and his team of X-men should be there, either captured, dead or with the Sea Wall in their grasp, and facing down Death."  
 Logan smiled as well. Then he frowned.  
 Before he could speak however, "Cyclops! That murdering scum? What is he doing in the X-men?"  
 The rest of the High Council seemed taken aback as well.  
 "Cyclops… the High prelate is wanted here. He is wanted very much. With the secrets he holds, we would find it easy to gain access to Apocalypse, maybe finish the tyrant off for good." Von doom seemed… considering. Calmly. Logan didn't like the way this seemed to be headed.  
 "Lissen up bub. An' you too Moira. I know the guy. He can be trusted. He helped us save Avalon from one of Apocalypses horsemen, and helped in killing it. He's one of the X-men now, and he's staying that way. None of you have any right to him, not now that he belongs to us." Besides, Logan thought, Jeannie would rip ya all to shreds before letting ya near him.   
 Von Doom stared at Logan. Logan was getting damn annoyed with the guy. 

 "Kitty, we're going now. If they're captured, we can free them. If they're dead, we can avenge them. An' if they've been victorious… well, we had a hard enough time dealing with Beast, and Death's no pushover either. They'll need all the help they can get."  
 With that, Logan moved to the teleportation device. Betsy, Helena, Piotr and Shiro followed immediately. Kitty pressed some keys and the machine began humming.   
 Von doom gestured and soldiers began moving towards them, weapons raised. Moira stood with Mariko's support, watching with angry, yet guilty eyes. She wouldn't help them here.   
 Logan nodded at Helena, who lifted her hands. As she did, the floor around the device suddenly reared up, blocking the humans. Logan saw Von Doom's look of victory turn to anger. He turned his head, and saw Mariko… no, the Prime Sentinel looking at him with undisguised sorrow and pain in her eyes. Logan felt his heart constrict, and the pain of loss arose anew in him. He looked into her eyes as the floor came up, and a split second later he was immaterial.   
  
                                              x-----------------------------x

  The Tower was buzzing with activity. Even Remy, inside Candra's apartments could sense it. No alarms were ringing, and they were still operating at medium security. However Candra's hurried exit a few minutes prior without saying anything other than a mumbled goodbye was a sure sign something was up. She hadn't even wanted him to accompany her. Thanks to that he was pretty much free to do as he wanted. With his inhibitors off he could do everything he could before. For a few seconds he contemplated destroying the Tower. However he discarded the notion as always. It would be pointless doing so. It would take too long for one thing, and for another, Apocalypse would surely notice the massive energy levels being unleashed. Thus far Remy had used his powers in a very low key manner, making sure he avoided notice. Candra had nearly put a dampener on him again when he had crippled Domino. Luckily the Dark Beast had been able to repair most of the damage. Indeed, with her new cyborg implants Domino was probably more deadly than before. The rooks had begun to harass him again. He had thought they had learnt their lesson after what he had done to Domino. Apparently it was a lesson that didn't stick. With the metal in Domino's body, Remy could easily destroy her completely. He thought about it for a second then discarded that notion as well. It would serve no purpose, and while an injury to one of his rooks would not make a difference to Apocalypse, or any other from the higher echelons, a death of a rook would be noticed, and dealt with.   
  Remy sighed. Two such nice plans ruined due to Apocalypse's strict discipline. While Remy knew the importance of discipline - he wouldn't have been initiated as a thief if he hadn't followed the guild's iron clad rules – he had always rebelled against it. Even as a thief, he was always breaking the smaller rules, those that didn't call for severe action against him. Now, living under a confining set of rules, Remy was feeling restive. He got up and began pacing the room. At a time like this he could get out easily enough. Unless Candra had put guards on the door. He doubted it. She was too preoccupied when she left. He was home free, unless she had remembered on the way to wherever she had gone off to. He figured he had some time anyway, and quickly got into his armor and suit. It would come in handy if he was accosted. He could claim to be looking for Candra. As her personal bodyguard he was perfectly in his rights to be looking for her, especially if she had run off in the middle. Remy put a hand to his chin. Candra had made him grow a heavier stubble. Coupled with his visor he was virtually unrecognizable. It helped when he was faced with people who might know him. Such as the Prelates, or one of the externals. Moving carefully he ordered the door to open. It opened. He walked out calmly, as though it were a natural occurrence for him to be walking out of Candra's rooms. Which it was… but he needed to look completely normal, as though he knew exactly where he was doing. Which wouldn't be difficult. He knew what he was doing. Looking for any information that might help him, and generally skulk around the Tower. What he had to project to others was that he was looking for Candra.   
  There were no guards outside the door. He breathed more easily. No problems so far. He began walking down the corridors, moving briskly, yet with an air of inquiry about him. A guard was standing talking to a commander. Good. He could ask them about Candra. That way he had people to corroborate if he was caught.   
 "Commander. Where has the Lady Candra gone? She asked me to follow her in a little while, but did not deign to tell me where she was going."  
 The commander and the guard looked at him. After a minute the commander replied.  
 "Ah, yes, you are the bodyguard… I am sorry, you looked familiar to me, but I was not sure who you were. Now I know, yes, the bodyguard." There was a small mocking smile on his face, and Remy could tell he was amused. While usually this would annoy Remy, right now he was grateful. The incident might stick out in the commanders mind. Which is what Remy wanted.   
 "I cannot help you with that my friend. Mistress Candra's whereabouts are not something we lowly commanders are privy to."  
 Remy nodded his head in thanks and continued on. Good enough. He was now free to snoop.   
  
  A little while later Remy found himself in front of a large set of doors. Access was denied to him. As Candra's bodyguard access to most places was open to him. He had nearly the same level of clearance as her. Candra thought it would be simpler. With a little influence from Remy of course. No matter what she thought, she was still susceptible to low level empathic guidance. Plus Candra was just lazy. It was perhaps not surprising in a woman who had all the time in the world. Remy stared at the doors. What could be inside. There were no guards near here either. Whatever it was, it was important. He turned to go, but stopped as he heard the sound of footsteps. The click of heels warned him that it was a woman. Candra? He hoped not. He hid behind a support pillar, and cursed the bulky armor he wore. It was not exactly easily concealed. He watched as Deathbird rounded the corner.   
 * The Arch-Prelate? What could she want here? *  
 Deathbird looked around furtively, but did not spot Remy. Remy breathed a sigh of relief. While he could have explained his presence, hiding was something else.   
 Finding nothing, Deathbird walked up to the doors. She pressed a hand against her chest, and then removed a small circular object. She waved it in front of the doors and they began to open. What was she up to? Remy had to find out.    
 As she walked in Remy took the chance to slip in. The size of the door and the darkness of the room allowed him to hide quickly. The room was filled with strangely shaped devices. Remy hid behind one that offered him a good vantage point. The doors remained open, and Deathbird walked up to a large device in the center. She ran a hand over it almost caressingly. She looked back again at the door and cocked her head. Apparently finding nothing she took out the object again and put it into a slot in the large device. Immediately it sprang to life, making no discernible noise. A circular device suddenly opened up to reveal a monitor. A face appeared suddenly. It vaguely resembled Deathbirds but was definitely male, with slight facial hair. The eyes were black in color. It began to speak in a crooning voice, speaking in a language completely alien to Remy. What was this?   
 She continued conferring with the alien being before suddenly cocking her head. She said something sharply and the screen died out, the circular shield covering it quickly. She pulled the object out and hurriedly stuffed it into her chest armor. As she did so a slightly burly figure walked into the room, moving with an innate sort of grace. Remy recognized this figure. This was Shaw, the mutant that Apocalypse conferred with from time to time. From what Remy could understand the mutant was Apocalypse's spymaster. What was he doing here? He did not seem to be surprised to see Deathbird. Remy watched as Deathbird ran to him and flung her arms around his neck. She whispered in his ear, and he smiled slightly. Then he bent his head and took her mouth with his. Remy sat watching, feeling suddenly as though he was intruding on something. He felt a bit dirty. What was going on? Oh, what was going on at this very moment was obvious to him, but what had happened before? He tried to concentrate on what Deathbird had been doing before, but the noises coming from the room were distracting him. The door had closed, and they were in near complete darkness, but Remy could see the silhouettes of the two lovers as they continued coupling on the floor. Deathbird was very responsive, and very loud. Remy wished he had cotton buds, as he sat back in disgust. What was wrong with people? What with Alex and his two lovers, oh that was a well kept secret, Candra's horniness, The Bedlams and the rook Meltdown, Exodus and his never ending line of women, and now these two, Remy was beginning to wonder about what Apocalypse really got up to when he was up in his rooms. And who knew about the horsemen? The way everyone else went on like rabbits, Remy was surprised Cecilia and Dark Beast weren't constantly delivering babies. He put his hands in his chin and sighed. He had no choice but to wait the two out. He hoped Candra was still away when he got back to their rooms.   
  
                                            x-------------------------------------x

   
 Stillness. After what seemed an interminable time of chaos, silence reigned. Finally a muffled groan came from beneath Cyclops. He shook his head and brushed the hair away from his eyes. He looked down at Jean.   
 "Jean! Jean, are you okay?" He held her protectively, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.   
 "Yeah… ouch, that second wave was unexpected."  
 Cyclops nodded, and smiled, seeing Jean was alright. Jean stared up at him in wonder; his smiling was such a rare event, that once it was fully displayed, she could stare at it for hours. Jean committed it to memory; being telepathic, it wasn't a problem.   
 They stood warily, looking around at their surroundings. Surprisingly the corridor was none the worse for wear. The side leading to the throne room was demolished, but the other was still open. Storm helped up Nightcrawler. Cyclops walked over to Archangel. Jean saw that one of his wings was in tatters. His face was a study of pain and anguish. Jean could feel the thoughts running through his head. He feared that he may never fly again. Jean's heart went out to him. Warren had always been a good friend.   
  "Archangel… I am sorry about this."  
 Archangel smiled up at him, grimacing at the same time.   
 "What do you mean… sorry? This wasn't your fault."  
 Jean looked angrily at Cyclops. What did he mean… she could sense it through their link. He felt responsible. As the team leader. She decided to set him straight.   
 "Don't!" The entire team turned to her in surprise.  
 She marched up to Cyclops.    
 "Don't even think about angsting right now, you idiot! It's not your fault. This was an unforeseeable set of circumstances. What could you have done? Now stay sensible, and formulate a plan to attack Rasputin!"  
 With that she turned around and began heading for the control room.   
 Storm began laughing.   
 "She is fiery. Logan has rubbed off on her."  
 Jean heard, and smiled slightly. Her smile faded slightly as she felt the jealousy rising in Cyclops at the comment. She began to laugh then, and Cyclops began to feel a little shameful. * Good, he needs a little lesson in social conduct *  
 "Well, didn't you all hear me? Come on!"  
 Archangel stood, with some difficulty. Jean turned immediately.   
 "Oh, I didn't mean you Warren! You're in no shape…-"  
Archangel shrugged off her comment and interrupted.   
 "I can still fight. Maybe not with my flight powers, but I can still help. The pain is bearable."  
 Jean knew Archangel was lying, but she couldn't talk him out of it. His mind was made up; she could tell, being telepathic.   
 "All right. Let's go." 

  
 The X-men walked into the large room warily. Nothing seemed to be moving. Jean spotted Rasputin lying by a monitor. In one corner, Asmodeus began groaning. Jean felt a little tingle in her head, as though something had brushed it. She looked around, and out of the shadows above her Gilgamesh appeared. He seemed completely unscathed by the explosion.   
 "Externals. Arise. I am proud to announce that our jailor has perished. Halfbane is dead. And now you all are mine to control." Gilgamesh turned to the X-men.   
 "You too would be wise to submit to me. The externals are weakened. They will be no match for me, as I am still at peak strength. You cannot hope to defeat me in your battered condition either."  
 Cyclops raised a fist and began charging it.   
 "We are more than sufficient to finish you off external."  
 Jean felt the brush again this time, harder. Something was attempting to read her. She stared at Gilgamesh in suspicion. He wasn't telepathic; at least, not as far as the X-men knew.   
  "You would be foolish to fight me now. I can melt into the shadows and reappear from another whenever needed. A slightly less efficient method to teleport than yours, mister Wagner. Still, good enough to suit my purposes. My control over the shadows is absolute. Years ago, I gained the power by studying under the path of the ebon vein. I am no mutant, as you may have thought. I am Tar, and I am sorcerer supreme."  
 With a flourish Gilgamesh/Tar removed his cloak, showing his true face. He was a powerfully built being, with grayish, almost granite like skin. His hands began to glow purple form the energy he was wielding.   
 "As once I destroyed all those who stood in my path to ultimate domination, I shall destroy you. Your power levels are too low to fight me. Once you could have defeated me with ease. I am not as powerful in this realm as I am in the other. But-"  
 Jean felt the brush again, felt that something was coming. It wasn't Gilgamesh/Tar. It was beneath them, and rising fast. Jean began backing away, clutching Cyclops and pulling him back with her.   
 "So…. The girl is afraid." Tar/Gilgamesh stopped his speech. "A wise maneuver."   
 He opened his fists to show his power, and began drawing a strange symbol in the air.   
 "My scorpions will keep you down for a while. In that time, I will have devised a spell powerful enough to completely control you. It is an honorable end X-men."  
 He began muttering under his breath. Jena felt the surge strongly and knew whatever was coming was almost upon them. Suddenly the ground shook again, and then burst open, as a figure wreathed in blue fire erupted from the ground.   
 Tar stepped back in shock.   
 "Who?"   
 They all stared in shock as an armored figure dropped to the earth before them, a body of a woman in it's arms. It's head was surrounded by blue flame, the head itself being a skull with glowing eyes. It's cape was tattered and torn, and beneath it showed black armor, with glowing bones showing underneath.   
 It spoke, in a hollow, emotionless voice.   
 "I am Death, I will punish you."  
 Tar stared for a second, before he wiped the symbol out of the air and quickly traced another, speaking quickly. Death turned to the sorcerer.   
 "So… Gilgamesh turns out to be the elusive sorcerer Tar. Gomurr and I searched for you for a long time Tar. But you disappeared after the Cyttorack gem was buried. It is of no consequence. Our one time friendship was lost a long time ago. And I am no longer the same mutant that you knew." 

 Tar was staring in horror now.   
 "Shaman!" His voice croaked out, before his brows narrowed.   
 "Foul minion of Apocalypse, I will crush you!"  
 Death simply swung his arm in an arc, and before Tar could register it, a scythe appeared in its hands, the blade imbedding itself into Tar's chest. Tar looked up at Death, his voice hoarsely trying to finish the spell. Death pulled its scythe out with fiendish strength and Tar fell to the floor, still trying to say something, anything.   
 Jean swallowed down a lump of fear. Things hadn't gotten any better. In fact, they had gotten worse. She had only once fought a horseman of Apocalypse, and it had taken the combined might of Juggernaut, Sunfire, Scott, Logan, Sabretooth, Blink and herself, as well as the external Galaire. And they had been fully primed to fight an enemy then. Now they were exhausted, at low energy levels, as well as under strength.   
 "Get up, Mikhail Rasputin."  
 In the corner Rasputin rose up, his form quivering with fear. Rasputin was not a coward, but Death struck the very fear of God into him. Jean could tell, she was telepathic.   
 "Our master still has use for you, which is why you still live. Stay where you are, and hold this Prime Sentinel. I will finish off these X-men and the remaining externals." He tossed the body of the woman to Rasputin. Jean had only time to register surprise at the word sentinel being applied to the woman, before Death hit her with a telepathic bolt. Jean immediately clutched her head. Death was strong. Stronger than any telepath she had met barring Xavier. She forced back the attack using all the power she could muster. 

 "Well done child. You are indeed powerful. Very powerful indeed." Death's attack ceased. At that point Cyclops yelled, "Attack Death X-men. Focus your attacks on the head. It seems to be the most vulnerable part. And stay clear of the scythe." He punctuated his sentence with an optic blast that sent Death reeling a few steps back.   
 "I see why you were chosen to be among the masters elite, a pity you decided to turn traitor. All for the simple pleasure of a woman's company."  
 He responded by sending a wave of energy slamming into Cyclops. Strom managed to evade it, and concentrated her power. Immediately the rubble began to budge, and then rocks that had been knocked down flew into the room, carried by the massive air currents at Storms command. Each slammed into Death, forcing the horseman back with every hit. Storm concluded the attack with a lightning bolt that came out of the region Storm had just uncluttered. Death raised its scythe just before it hit, and seemed to gather the energy into itself. Finally it stepped back, seeming more luminescent than it had been before.   
 "A worthy attempt windrider. I see why Apocalypse finds it a waste to have to kill you."  
 Death suddenly flung its hands apart, creating a glowing electrical orb between its hands.   
 "See why I am a horseman of Apocalypse, and know that your doom has come."  
 With that it turned around and released the glowing ball into Asmodeus who was kneeling by Tar, getting ready to attack Death. Asmodeus wailed in pain and slammed into a destroyed terminal.   
 "The Sea Wall is finished. Or so you think. This is not the only control mechanism for the Sea Wall. There are others, though they are more limited than this. The master has plans for the Sea Wall. And those plans can be initiated form the Tower as easily as from here."

 Death turned form the externals, of whom Behamen and Astaroth there was no sing as yet.   
 "So… we failed. It is of no consequence. I … will still… kill you."  
 Death turned as Tar managed to stand, holding his bleeding torso. The wound pulsated with energy.   
Tar muttered a final incantation, and Death stepped back, raising a hand to ward off something. Tar crumpled to the floor, and as he did a massive shadow seemed to form from all areas of the room. A glowing black ball that flickered as it revolved in place. Death took another step back, and the ball shot forward, surrounding Death. A cry of anger came from inside. Death could feel, Jean realized. From what it had seemed, Death had been emotionless.   
 The shadow flickered again, and then imploded, sending dark energy everywhere. The X-men and the externals ducked, and Rasputin watched in dumb shock. The air cleared, and Death stood where it had been, except it's armor was almost completely gone, revealing a glowing skeleton beneath it, with an almost insubstantial luminescence about the skeleton, which seemed to be some sort of flesh. Death flexed and relaxed its hands. The halo of fire that had surrounded its head was gone, to be replaced by a mute glow. Its eyes still shone bright though.   
 "That cursed sorcerer! He actually managed to do damage to me." Death turned it's baleful stare to the X-men.   
 "I am still powerful enough to finish you off though. Tar was never as strong as he liked to think."  
 It whirled its hands and the scythe appeared. With another arc like motion it sent a wave of energy slamming into everyone in the room. Jean cried out as she was slammed back, her telekinetic shield dissolving in the face of the unrestrained attack by the horseman.   
 "I am the first horseman of the Apocalypse. Death rides among you today." Death stood in place, and then psi energy exuded from it, fiery mental bolts of pain that knocked every one down. Jean struggled before the onslaught, but Death was too skilled, too powerful. It was hopeless, they could never defeat an opponent so strong. Not without significant aid, and only one of the externals seemed to be still alive. Death turned its attention back to Asmodeus.   
  "It appears your compatriots are either dead, or have run away. It does not matter. You at least, will die today." Death stood it's scythe butt down and gripped it with both hands. It began to glow the same color as Death, in fact it seemed as though Death was extending itself into the scythe. Asmodeus stood his ground, and then raised his left hand, with four fingers extended. AS Death charged it's scythe, Asmodeus counted down with his fingers. As the last finger went down, he extended his arms, and temporal energy imbued his arms.   
 "Now, Behamen, Astaroth, Attack the horseman!"  
 Suddenly the two appeared at Deaths side. From where Jean could not understand. It appeared Asmodeus had done something… something with the temporal energy he commanded.   
 All three externals struck at the same time as Death leapt at Asmodeus. In Astaroth's hands was a mighty axe, seemingly created from the debris around them. Astaroth was fast, but Death was faster. Asmodeus pumped temporal energy into Death, but the horseman simply converted the energy into his own, as he had done with Storms lightning. Finally it seemed as though Death could do so no longer, and Death actually slowed down. But it was too late. Death swung its scythe and sliced Asmodeus's arm off. From behind Astaroth smashed into Death, his axe smashing into Deaths frail looking skeleton, tearing off more of its armor, sending Death smashing into the debris. Asmodeus fell back with a cry of agony. He clutched the stub that Death had left. Already energy pulsed beneath Asmodeus's hand, the stub putrefying within seconds. Everything seemed still, and for a moment Jean wondered if that was it, if Death had actually been defeated. Her hopes were crushed as Death tunneled out of the debris, smashing into Astaroth.   
 "You will suffer for this affront." Death grabbed Astaroth and immediately began feeding on his thoughts, feeding on his psyche. Jean realized with a stunned sort of horror that Death was like Exodus, a psychic vampire of great power. And she also realized that it was the key to its invulnerability.   
 Astaroth shrank away from Death, his face twisted in horror. Behamen grabbed Death, but was not strong enough to remove Death from her comrade. Nightcrawler quickly ported over to them, his saber out. Storm rose to the air, her hair flying as she began to summon the elements. Archangel was also getting up, but was nearly delirious with pain. He needed help soon. Cyclops was already up as well, running towards Death, his gauntlets glowing as he charged them up in order to attack Death. Jean knew they would all be ineffectual. Only she could stop this. She placed her hands on her temple and began focusing her will against Deaths. In her minds eye she saw the face of Death, a glowing face, with skin stretched taut over the skull.   
 "So… you too wish to face me. I have drained this one dry woman, and you are next. You teem with telepathic energy, energy that will fuel my own, making me unstoppable."  
 Jean focused her power and began pulling him away from Astaroth.    
 "I've heard that before Death. Beast was also convinced of his supremacy. We still managed to kill him. You too will die."  
 Death seemed surprised, "Indeed, child you are stronger than any other I have faced before. This challenge is indeed something I have looked forward to. However, it does not matter. Astaroth is finished, and his power has already boosted mine to levels that border my maximum potential. I am recharged X-woman. You however are fading."  
 Then with contemptuous grace Death hurled Astaroth's body aside, the massive external falling down, his eyes glazed over. There was no life in him. Death had drained his very essence through his psyche. Deaths body again became bathed in blue fire, flaring out from it.   
 Jean let her hands fall from her head. Death was right, defeat was close for them. Even the externals could not face this creature. Behamen was next to useless, and Asmodeus had been partially eliminated from the fight. Jean felt the psychic backlash as Cyclops was smashed into a monitor, going right through, his body falling with a thud on the other side. Nightcrawler bamfed away at the last instant before Death could lop his head off.   
 Storm was still concentrating, the sky outside howling with fury as it was commanded by the X-woman. Jean attacked Death telekinetically, subtle bolts of energy that Death deflected with its scythe. The scythe was a manifestation of his will, much like Psylocke's sword and Jeans shields. Jean felt her spirits fade.   
 * Fret not love, company's coming. *  
 Immediately Jean felt relief pour through her. It was Psylocke! Jean sent out telepathic feeler and realized that Logan's entire team was here. The scales had just tipped, in their favor.  
 Death realized it as well, turning to the hole that it had made itself. Suddenly the ground reared from below the hole, carrying up the X-men. Weapon X took one look at the situation and popped his claws, and ran at Death, snarling in anger. Psylocke and Rumik went to stand by Nightcrawler. The last to come up were Sunfire and Colossus, with Kitty perched on Colossus's shoulder.   
 "Mikhail!" Colossus turned towards his brother in anger. Rasputin looked at his brother and an ugly grin spread across his face. He threw the Sentinel/woman on the ground and brought his hands up in a defensive position. Colossus put Shadowcat down and ran towards his brother, his metallic face mottled in rage.   
 Cyclops stood with some trouble and saw Weapon X and Sunfire begin to attack Death, sending the horseman reeling under the attack. A thin thread of telepathic energy seeped from Death towards Weapon X and Jean realized it was how Death sucked the life out of others. Psylocke was already there though, her psi-knife cutting through it with contemptuous ease.   
 "I've seen better than that from Exodus horseman. I'll make you suffer for what you did to my brother!"   
 Jean wondered what Death had done to her brother before noticing that Death was flying. It headed straight for Sunfire, weathering the steady stream of fiery energy that was being hurled at it by Sunfire. It struck Sunfire, and Jean felt the psychic shock as Deaths psionic energy hit Sunfire. Sunfire fell to the ground, his body devoid of any fire. Jean stared in shock and Death, not finished yet came streaking down at Sunfire, landing on the body and begin to pummel him. Sunfire tried to block Death, but the horseman seemed taken over by a berserker rage like Weapon X. After hitting Sunfire it raised a clawed gauntlet which glowed with the fiery blue form that Deaths psionic energy took. Before he could impale Sunfire however a sudden wind grabbed Death and pulled it off Sunfire. 

 "You have bothered us enough horseman."  
 Storm hurled it out into the darkness of the storm she had conjured up, and a hundred lightning bolts struck the horseman. Jean had seen Storm at work before, but this was the first time she had seen Storm do something like this. A cry of agony erupted in her head, and Jean saw that Psylocke also fell to the ground clutching her head. Death's scream was telepathic. Suddenly all was silent, then a cry was heard again, a scream of anger and hatred, a completely raw, animalistic cry that echoed through the psyche of everyone present. Colossus and Rasputin stopped fighting for an instant, and Storm lost control of the storm, which seemed to lessen in intensity. Then the psionic from of the cry hit everyone. Completely raw unrestrained psionic power that knocked everyone to the ground. As telepaths Jean and Psylocke were affected most, yet they recovered fastest. Even after that, power that could have shattered mountains, Death was still alive. Jean felt her spirits ebb again; was there no stopping the creature?   
 Suddenly she felt a firm presence in her mind. Cyclops. She turned and saw him struggling to get up, but he was mentally fine. He sent a feeling of resolve her way. Jean shook her head, and the doubts in her head vanished. She sent back her own resolve to him, and saw him smile, even though he was still trying to stand. Weapon X offered him a hand and he stood with some trouble. Death was coming. Jean could sense it. However the feeling of resolve was present all around her. The X-men stood their ground. Storm, Psylocke, Shadowcat, Rumik, Nightcrawler, Weapon X, Cyclops, a recovered Sunfire and herself. Archangel also lent his support, but he was physically unable to join in the fight. By the X-men, the remaining two externals stood, Asmodeus, still clutching the stump of his arm, his face nearly white, and Behamen floated next to him, supporting him. Behind them Colossus fought on against his brother.   
  


  Rasputin managed to bring the area around him to bear on Colossus, the debris becoming living before his power, blocking Colossus's path to him. With a gesture Rasputin sent Colossus flying. 

 "You were never a match for me Kavon. Oh, I admit you have injured me in the past, but that was more due to my hesitancy in attacking my last living relative. Now, however, I will kill you." Rasputin used his power to begin burying Colossus in the ground. He knew the X-men could not help. They were busy with Death. The horseman had returned, his armor completely gone, and only a bluish skeleton surrounded by blue fire remained, clutching a scythe, wielding it as a conduit for his power.   
 He continued until Colossus was completely buried under the ground. He began sealing the ground, knowing that Colossus could not break free, supremely confident in his own abilities. The battle was finished. He had weakened Colossus, and had now encased him completely in the super-strong structure the Sea Wall was made of. Suddenly he felt his power being disrupted. He turned and received a kick in the face.   
 "No way in hell you're going to do that to my Peter!"   
 Rasputin wheeled about in shock as Shadowcat kicked him again. Her claws sliced his armor open, and he fell back under the assault. Shadowcat stopped her attack and plunged into the tomb that Rasputin had created for his brother. Using her powers she managed to pull Colossus out.   
 "My thanks Katya, I could break it, I thought I was finished."  
 Shadowcat pressed her hand against his chest. 

 "No thanks necessary Peter. Let's just kick this bastards ass… no offense to your parents."  
 Colossus smiled grimly, "None taken Katya. Yes… let us finish this traitor."  
 Rasputin stood up and saw the two X-men standing above him. He began to lash out with his power, but Colossus grabbed him and began squeezing his neck. He grabbed at the hands, but it was ineffectual, his brother was too strong. With the last remaining bit of his power he struck again, but this time at Shadowcat. Without any support she flew towards the wall. She became intangible in order to avoid her head being crushed and went through the wall, right to the outside of the Sea Wall. She screamed and grabbed for any object she could find. Colossus's eyes widened and he turned to see his brothers near purple face grinning.   
 "My last act of vengeance Piotr… I kill the woman you love!"  
 In rage Colossus smashed Rasputin into the wall he sent Shadowcat into, his strength carrying Rasputin through, crushing his spine.   
 "Katya!" With a vengeful cry he hurled Rasputin out into the merciless open air, watching as his brother fell towards the maelstrom below. He bowed his head. He had killed his brother, who had killed his Katya. There was nothing left for him now…  
 "Peter!"   
He looked up and then down. Shadowcat hung onto a thing beam, which was being dragged out by her weight. Colossus lunged down and grabbed Shadowcat, before the beam fell. 

 "Katya!" He gathered the much smaller figure into his large arms. She clung to him as he moved back, safely away from the edge.   
 "Oh… god I thought you had…"  
 Shadowcat caressed his face gently.   
 "I know… but I'm okay Peter. Now come on… we have to help the others take down Death."  
 Colossus held on for another second and then nodded, and let her go.   
  
  The others were getting very tired very fast. Death had sprung on them again, and he was flinging them left and right. His new form appeared even stronger than the last. Cyclops was beginning to get very tired of this guy. The horseman was proving to be even more resilient than beast had been. He sent beam after beam at him, but Death just absorbed all punishment, as though it was nothing. At least Beast had gotten hurt. Nothing seemed to hurt this horseman. Suddenly he heard Jean saying something to him.   
 * Scott… I think I know how to take him down. He seems to be completely reliant on psionic energy, and that's abundant here. I need you to destroy his armor completely. He still has his gauntlets. Once you remove those, he'll be open to attack by me and Psylocke. We won't attack him directly, but from the psionic plane. He'll have to leave his body defenseless in order to protect himself from us. When he does that, destroy him. We'll pull out of the astral plane before he dies. *  
 Cyclops thought it over for a second and then sent his affirmation back.   
 * connect all of us telepathically. *  
  
 '_X-men, form a ring around him. Storm, Sunfire and Rumik , keep him off balance. Weapon X, Nightcrawler, we're going to get close to him and destroy his gauntlets. Jean and Psylocke will attack him from the inside after we're done. Now… attack!'  
_ Storm began blowing winds at Death, forcing him back. Sunfire began sending short hard hitting spurts of flame at him, the atomic energy knocking him around. Rumik used the very ground to move him off-balance. This left Death easy pickings for Weapon X and Cyclops who began attacking his gauntlets. Nightcrawler kept the scythe away by parrying his attacks with his saber. Death's movements became more frantic as he realized what they were doing, but it was too late. With a final blow, Weapon X tore off his left gauntlet while Cyclops blasted off the other. Death fell back, clutching his head. 

 "No! You cannot! Mind-witches I will punish you for this!"  
 Suddenly he stood still. Cyclops could feel Jean's will bearing down on Death. He looked over at Psylocke and found her also showing some strain.   
 "Now, X-men, attack his body!"  
 A massive shape hurtled into him, and Colossus sent Deaths body smashing into a pillar. Asmodeus stood next to the body.   
 "A pity it has come to this Shaman… Apocalypse has much to answer for, but for what he did to you… farewell master. I served you well once. I can serve you best now by destroying what you have become."

 He raised his remaining arm and it began glowing.   
 "Now, destroy this wretched shell of a horseman."  
 Suddenly Jean and Psylocke fell back, clutching their heads. Death immediately got up, and his scythe arced, cutting through Asmodeus and into Behamen. Cyclops turned towards Jean in worry. She stopped clutching her head and moved towards Psylocke.   
 "Join with me, Psylocke, it's the only way."  
 Psylocke nodded, and then pooled her power with Jeans, handing over control to her. Jean attacked anew, and Death was forced to defend himself on two levels. The horseman struggle dot maintain both of his forms, but Jean was relentless. Finally desperately he attempted to force entry into Jean, in order to take over her mind, but he wasn;t fast enough.   
 The X-men pounded Death's body, until it fell, its owner attempting to escape into another body. Jean smiled. Death was getting frantic. Blood dripped form her nose, but she hung on, tenaciously harrowing Deaths attempts to enter her mind.   
 Finally Death gave up. Jean sensed it and relented her attack, turning to the X-men.   
 "Now! Finish him now!"  
 They attacked as one, optic blast, lightning, telekinetic bolts, saber, claws, fists, atomic fiery energy, and Psi-blades. With a final blow from Weapon X, Death's body crumbled, and its hands opened wide. The fiery nimbus around it, began to seep away, slowly building speed, until it was all dispersed in the atmosphere.   
 The husk that had once contained Death fell to the ground, completely lifeless. The X-men stood over their vanquished foe, hope finally stirring their hearts. They had a chance now. They had finished off half of Apocalypses strongest lieutenants already. Victory, once a fleeting dream, was now a reality.   
  
                    ======================================

Yes, that was Beak Barnell fighting against Archangel. Yes, the Tar that Gilgamesh turns out to be is from the Crimson Dawn storyline, and Shaman is not the Shaman people might know from the comic books.  
  
 Well, if the ending seems a bit rushed, I'm sorry. There's still two more chapters to go, and by all indications they're gonna be just as long. Next chapter: Remy's big moment, plus Rogue has to make a choice, Holocaust on the rampage and War!  
  
WOO HOOO! 

  
 Okay, I'll calm down about now…..


	10. Bring Me to Life

Well…. Here we are, with my penultimate chapter. Well, unless you count the epilogue. Anyway, this chapter is dedicated to all Remy lovers out there. It's long though, and I can promise one thing. The next chapter is probably going to be longer. I' halfway through with that one, but I also have exams, so expect that one in a while. But I will finish this. Plus, I'm going to begin to upload a couple of others. So you can read those if you want.   
  
Disclaimer: No… I don't own the X-men, and I have killed off nearly all my OC's, just a few left.   
  
Feedback: C'mon, one little message to six_nites@hotmail.com

**   ~*~**

** Bring Me To Life**

 The sounds of grunting had faded away, to be replaced by quiet chuckles, and small gasps of laughter. Remy had removed his fingers from his ears a little while earlier. Deathbird had gotten so loud that Remy had been very seriously thinking that someone was going to come in and investigate what the noise was about. The two clandestine lovers had been quick though. Only took them about fifteen minutes. Still long enough for Remy to nearly take a vow of chastity. Between Candra's near unquenchable lust, and these two, the Ragin' Cajun was quite sick of sex. He heard Shaw mumble something, and the two disengaged. Shaw began putting on his clothes, while Deathbird wore her armor again. It was about time. Then he could leave this place. Some investigation this had been. Sitting cramped up behind a damn machine, listening to two people copulate. He heard the sound of Shaw pulling on his boots. Deathbird's armor clinked against the ground. Once finished dressing, the two shared another kiss, before Shaw walked off.   
  Remy shifted his position slightly, and looked over the machine he was behind. The doors opened slightly, and Shaw walked out. Deathbird walked over to the machine again and re-fastened her chest armor. The door closed, and she turned to the machine. She pulled out the little object and toyed with it.   
 "Did you enjoy our little romp?" Remy froze in place. Deathbird still stood where she was, twiddling with the object. She turned and faced Remy.   
 "Oh I knew you were there from before I entered this chamber. It aroused my curiosity. What could Candra's bodyguard want here? You are no Shi'ar. You are not among the higher echelons of power. Even Candra cannot enter here without permission from Apocalypse. I allowed you to enter before closing the doors. I even let you see me converse with D'ken."  
 Deathbird walked over to him. The room suddenly lit up brightly. Without her face armor on Remy noticed that her hair was strangely cut, sticking straight up from her forehead, almost like a crest. Her delicate grace seemed almost… birdlike.  
 "So tell me, bodyguard, why are you here?"  
 Remy walked out from behind the machine. It would be of little use standing there. He would have moved before, but Deathbird had shocked him into motionlessness. He had to think fast now. If what Deathbird said was true, she had no right to be here either. If that was true, then she was communing with someone hostile to Apocalypse. His mind worked… but he could come up with no answer. This D'ken was no one he had heard of before. A possibility struck him. Candra had said much of the technology used by Apocalypse was alien. The name she had used had been Celestial. She had implied that they were a race of powerful beings, who had traveled the cosmos, searching out races and worlds, studying them at their leisure. She had not known what their purpose had been on earth, just that they had come millennia ago, before even Apocalypse had been born. This Shi'ar Deathbird talked of. It could be an alien race. Deathbird did look slightly alien, now that Remy got a chance to see her up close. He made his gamble.   
 "You seemed to have been interrupted when talking to your leader back in your home world. Using Shaw as a source of information was smart. Too bad you had to bed him to gain it. Still, a mole like you probably had to. Orders from above… I know the feeling." Remy spoke in pure, accent less English. Deathbirds tilted eyes widened. One second she was staring at him in surprise, the next she moved with unbelievable speed, pinning him against the machine he had been hiding behind. Her face hovered an inch above his, twisted with anger.   
 "How do you know all this? Who are you, human? Answer me!"  
 Remy smiled in the most insolent way he knew.   
  "No friend to you chere."  
 Deathbirds frown deepened, and she threw him to the side. Remy landed hard on the ground.   
 "It does not matter I suppose. I had intended to kill you anyway." Deathbird jumped in the air, higher than Remy would have thought possible. He rolled out of the way just in time, as her fist crashed into the floor where he had been. He stood quickly, moving as fast as he could in the bulky armor. Deathbird moved faster than he could have guessed. He thought his statement would have caused more than one second of surprise. Another second, and he would have attacked her. His gamble had failed. Sort of. At least she hadn't exactly taken him by surprise. There was still one more thing he could do.  
 "Killing me won't 'xactly help you chere.  I'm not de only one who knows about dis. Been watching you f'r a while now. 'Sides chere. Kill me, an' Candra's gonna hang you up t' dry."  
 His words had the intended effect. She hesitated for a second. He could tell what must be going through her head. Wonderment at his statement. Then she would second guess herself, think back to the different times she must have communicated. Thinking about how she could have missed it. Affirmation of her abilities would follow. Remy didn't intend to let her think that far ahead. He leapt at her, extending his leg out to catch her in the face with a snapping kick. To her credit, she tried to protect herself. She moved back quickly, snapping her arms up to block or parry his action. However, she was too slow, and Remy's kick caught the side of her jaw, knocking her back. Deathbird reeled about for a second, and then straightened herself out. Remy had already begun moving. His fist nearly hit her. However, she had anticipated a punch, and moved a wing up. Again, Remy's advantage of surprise attack helped him. She was still reeling from the kick, and her wing only managed to brush his fist aside, not crack his fist. Remy pulled back, and kicked out at her. However Deathbird had retreated as well. She gave him an appraising glance. 

 "You are good. Fast, athletic. I would relish a long fight… but some other time. For now, I have to finish this fight quickly. I only have a small window."  
 Deathbird rushed forward, but just before reaching Remy she took to the air. He watched as she swooped upwards almost slowly, her grace almost captivating him. Whatever she was, she was definitely gorgeous. Remy shook his head. Just moments after almost taking a vow of chastity, he was thinking about women again, an alien for that matter. A drop dead sexy alien, but still an alien. Remy backed away, but she remained in the air, almost flying. Remy's eyes narrowed, and he moved back, crouching in a defensive pose. Deathbird seemed to hover for an instant, and then she was streaking down at him. Remy began bracing for the impact, but it never came. Deathbird landed out of his reach in front of him, and then swiped his legs out from below him. Remy fell to the ground; he grunted as his armor dug into his back. It was really slowing him down. He needed to use his eyes. He pulled off his helmet, and threw back his hair. Deathbird jumped on him before he could get up, pinning his arms to the floor. She punched him three times, before smashing a knee into his midsection.   
 "A pity you have to die. You are very good looking. Still, you are only terran, and your kind could never satisfy me."   
 Her eyes gleamed as she said it. Remy smiled slightly, feeling a sliver of blood trickle from his nose. He could see her eyes. That's all that mattered. He didn't dare use his powers overtly. But his empathy was not. It was almost second nature for him to use it. He hoped it would work on her. He projected his entire will into making her want him. She was attracted to him. Good, he could use that. Her eyes widened as he fed unbridled lust straight into her head. If she was even remotely aroused, this would work like a charm. Her eyes than grew shadowed, and her grip became firmer. Remy felt despair wash up in him. It wasn't working. He was trapped here, without any reasonable means of defense. He could use his power, but using so much of his power would surely tip of Apocalypse, and he didn't want to end up a corpse in the near future.   
 His fears were washed away as with a groan Deathbird bent and captured his lips with hers. Remy's eyes widened as Deathbird groaned with passion. He could feel her body radiate warmth. He was successful, oh how he was successful! Her lips were soft and yet firm. Her tongue forced entry into his mouth, and at the first taste of her Remy nearly groaned himself. It was exotic, like nothing he had ever felt or tasted before. No wonder Shaw had betrayed Apocalypse for her. Her hands left his and cupped his face, pulling him closer, her mouth working on his, moving passionately. Remy began stroking her neck, giving into the sensations. He thought about how best to remove her armor. Her hands relieved him of that, as she reached behind and unclasped her armor, hurling it away. Her breasts pressed against his chest, and their size and shape reminded him of Belladonna's. They had been like this… His eyes widened. Bella! He had given into the lust he had fed into Deathbird. His resolve returned and he smoothed his hands over her back, reaching behind her head. She moaned against his mouth again, and Remy placed his hands on the nape of her neck. With a deft movement he twisted it sharply. Deathbirds eyes widened, and then glazed over, and she fell limply against him. Remy rested his head against the floor, breathing deeply. A dangerous side effect of his power. Trying so strongly caused it to turn on him. Deathbird could have killed him. He could see why she had achieved her rank without too much notice.   
 He got up, retrieving his helmet. This was no place for him to be in. If he was lucky no one would find her until much later.   
 He walked toward the doors, which opened automatically. Good, a problem he did not have to deal with. He wondered again what these Shi'ar were. Still, it was not his problem. He did not expect too long. He had delayed his vengeance long enough. Maybe it had been a good thing, fighting Deathbird. It had reminded him of Belladonna, and the oath he had made a long time ago.   
  
                                            x-----------------------------------x

  
  "Charles." Erik stared at wonderment at his son. He and Rogue had both agreed on the name. A fitting name to the hope of the future. His son. He had never gotten a chance to see his first son, Pietro grow, neither had he seen Wanda as a baby. He had missed out on their early years, and felt the ache painfully now. He deeply regretted what he had once been about to do. The plans he had made, the future he may have come to bring about. A future, he now realized, much like the world they now lived in. His grand plans for a war between humans and mutants, a war which mutants would surely win, a war he was convinced was necessary. A war he now realized no one could ever win. He hung his head in shame. His eyes fell on his son. The tiny form was so still, almost lifeless. Ever since Rogue and the child had been removed from child support, Erik had breathed easier. He glanced over to the other bed, occupied by one individual. Victor Creed. The feral had given his powers freely, giving his wife a second shot at life. It had cost him, and he was now recovering. It was expected that it would take a little over two hours more for him to recover. He remembered the moment when blind panic had hit him, such a feeling of helplessness as he had never felt before. Rogue had gone critical, and her life signs had fluctuated badly; she had flat-lined once. It was then that Creed had come forward and calmly pulled off her glove and put her hand to his face. It had worked. The healing power that was in him had worked, in tandem with Rogue's absorption powers. It had been stunned seconds before anyone thought to remove Creed. He shook his head. It was amazing. A few months ago this would have been the farthest thought from his mind. Now, though, he was content.   
 "Hey." A soft voice whispered behind him. He turned to see Rogue coming towards him, supported by Pietro and Wanda. His family.   
 "Rogue! You should not be…" She put a finger to her lips, silencing his protests. Sidling up to him with some difficulty she leaned against him. He put his arms out to support her.   
 She relaxed in his embrace and watched Charles with him.   
  "Owah son, Erik… he's owah son."  
 He felt wetness sliding down her cheek. Cupping her chin he stared into her eyes with some concern. 

 "It's nothing… Ah'm just feelin' good. Really content."  
 Erik smiled and held her close, as Pietro and Wanda stood on the other side of the small bed in which Charles lay, watching the most recent addition to their family. Erik knew peaceful moments like these would be few and fleeting, and he reveled in it.   
  
                                            x----------------------------x

 The clean up had taken no time. With everyone accounted for the X-men had decided to finally leave the hellish tower. However, there was some question of transport. The small X-jet below the Sea Wall was not large enough to accommodate all the X-men present. There was the externals ship, but no one really wanted to travel in that. An easy answer presented itself. It was surprising no one thought of it earlier. Even Kitty, who thought of it, seemed surprised at the thought. It made perfect sense however. Sammael's personal ship was here, and it was large enough to transport all of Apocalypse's command, plus a thousand infinites. Programming it would be no problem, Kitty could deal with that easily. The X-men had moved to the ship quickly. It fast proved to be a godsend. There was more than enough room, as well as a fully equipped medical bay, with a de-tox chamber. That had been enough to deal with Warrens severe injuries. Kitty had re-programmed the craft easily enough. Scott and Logan had gone scouting to find anything of value, ad finding nothing had returned. The control tower of the Sea Wall grid was destroyed. Apocalypse's main line of defense was finished. Now, the human could launch an attack, and Apocalypse would have no defense against it. Nothing except the forces in America.   
 With Jean and Ororo taking care of Warren, and Kitty and Peter piloting the craft, Kurt, Scott, Logan, Betsy, Helena and Shiro were left to their own devices. Shiro went off on his own, apparently investigating the craft, though Kurt and Peter had already done so. Betsy and Helena had retreated to a corner and were talking softly, and Kurt had begun a deep investigation of the map screen. That left Scott and Logan together.   
 "So…" Logan decided to break the silence first. Although he was not a talkative, or for that matter, social person, sitting doing nothing was not something he enjoyed. Ever. He needed to talk right now. Get rid of the old memories haunting him. Mariko…  
 Scott looked up at Logan, and had no idea what to reply. He was just as anti-social as Logan, probably more, and he and the feral had never spoken more than two sentences to each other outside of when they had to. Although each of them had a healthy amount of respect for the other, they still didn't get along too well. They had too much history, old and new. Plus, Jean always stood between them. Whilst Scott was secure in her love, mainly due to their mind link, he also knew that Jean still had strong feelings for Logan, also due to the mind link. Logan for his part, still blamed Scott for stealing Jean away from him, in some small remote part of himself, but a part nevertheless. Cyclops had taken his hand from him, and Logan had humiliated and defeated Scott, as well as scar his side deeply. Scott had been in a de-tox tank for two days after that wound. Still, they had worked their way around many of their problems due to the simple fact that they both shared many values, and that what had been done, had been done due to the fact that they had been enemies. Nothing personal had been involved.   
  It had happened though, and their history would always keep them from being friends.   
  "So…" Scott finally said something. He repeated Logan's line. The two stared at each other. They just sat there and stared. Finally Logan shrugged towards Betsy and Helena.   
 "So, what do you think is up with those two?"  
 Scott looked towards them, and then back at Logan.  
 "I have no idea. I've known Helena for a long time, but I never got close to anyone at the Tower. I don't know Betsy at all. They're friends I hear, old friends."  
 Logan began shaking his head halfway through.   
 "No no, that's not what I mean. I know they've been friends since childhood, that's not what I was saying. I mean, what do ya think is going on there. They seem a bit closer than friends don't ya think?"  
 Scott just stared at him for a long time. Then he cocked his head slightly.   
 "You're gossiping?" he sounded shocked. Logan was a bit shocked too. He needed to deal with his memories someway though, and if he needed to gossip to do so, so be it.   
 "Nah, just trying to make conversation." Logan supposed that wasn't the best thing to say, but he had never been a good conversationalist. Flirt – sure, argue – fine, insult – gladly… but make conversation – never. He gave up. Scott was no conversationalist. He decided to go bother Kurt.   
 Scott sat there, wondering what that had been all about. He looked up at the navigation screen Peter was using. Expected time of arrival was two hours. Oh well. Scott sat there and did what he was best at. Brood.   
  
                                              x---------------------------x

 Apocalypse felt the death of Death. At the same time War gasped. A Madri was trying to hail the Sea Wall's at the time. A little while ago the Sea Wall command tower had become silent. A few minutes later it had become blinking red on the main screen. That meant it was under heavy attack. When Apocalypse had ordered the Madri to scan it for Sammael or Halfbane, they had been reported dead. Apocalypse had demanded a report on mutant readings from an hour earlier, and had found that it had been filled with high level mutants. The remaining externals, Rasputin, the X-men, and a little later Death. A little later more X-men had appeared, and some externals had disappeared, apparently dead. And then Rasputin's readings had disappeared. However, all of that was preferable to what had happened next. Death too had been killed, and all the X-men still lived.   
 Apocalypse rose up in his throne in anger. His hands balled into fists at his side. Three horsemen, Sammael and Rasputin, as well as his main line of defense. The humans were sure to realize soon that the Sea Wall's were down. He could still command them from here, but to a very limited extent. Exodus, Candra and War stared in shock at the screen. His new lieutenants. Apart from holocaust, they were all that was left. He smiled grimly. The X-men had forced him to play one of his cards early. He had hoped to use them later, but for now, it was all he could do. He could not fight the X-men and the human High Council at the same time. Especially if they were beginning to produce Sentinels of a higher caliber then the ones already in production.    
  "My hand has been forced. So.. it finally draws to a conclusion. War! Go now, and expand the Sea Wall. Eurasia has been a thorn in my side long enough. I will now destroy it. With the pitiful humans out of the way, I can focus all my forces towards the X-men, and their eventual destruction."   
 Apocalypse began laughing. Something no one in the room had ever seen happen before. Even War stood paralyzed for a moment before briskly moving to do her masters bidding. Candra and Exodus watched in horror as Apocalypse stood above them laughing at the screen.   
  
                                            x---------------------------x

 Alex stood before the little throne he had made for himself. It was elevated right in the center of the circular room. Sitting in it he could spin around to monitor any part of the room. The walls of the room were lined with monitors, each corresponding to a different part of the Tower. While some areas were of course, un-monitor-able, such as Apocalypse's personal quarters, as well as the external and any other high level personages room. However, Alex could ensure security over a large area, at almost any given time. The room was filled with his people, the security officials, as well as the Rooks, head of security under him, now just below Prelate in rank.   
 At the moment Alex was watching the east monitor bank, the area which correspondingly covered most of the eastern part of the Tower. His gaze was centered on one particular monitor at the moment. It showed a slightly disgruntled figure coming out of an area which Alex was not allowed to monitor. An area the figure was certainly not allowed to enter. Alex had been keeping his eye on this 'bodyguard' of Candra's for a while now, ever since he had nearly crippled one of Alex's best Rooks. Of course the fact that Domino had received mechanical implants had mollified Alex to a point where he did not think more serious action had to be taken against the bodyguard. He had of course protested to Candra about what had happened, but she had told him something along the lines of 'The Fittest survive' and that he should be more concerned with his Rooks training. After that she had warned him that if anyone so much as looked at her bodyguard wrong, she would crucify Alex. Alex was not one to contradict his superiors, and had warned his Rooks against retaliation. He however had increased surveillance of the bodyguard. The one time he had seen the bodyguard up close, the mans posture and voice had reminded him of someone, or something.   
 Alex shook his head. He had been elated when the bodyguard had been reported to be leaving his rooms, and further elated when he had gone into a restricted zone. He couldn't have been more surprised, or shocked to see Deathbird, and then Apocalypse's spymaster, Shaw go the same way. He supposed that it could be for different reasons. Shaw probably had clearance to go there, but the other two didn't. Shaw's hurried return a few minutes later had deepened Alex's suspicions. And then the bodyguard had also returned. Deathbird had not. He mused over the possibilities. He could send his Rooks, but then if what the bodyguard had been doing was authorized, Alex would suffer Candra's wrath. He grimaced. Better to send someone else.   
 He turned slightly. Below him, the rooks stood around, talking, a bit relaxed, but still keeping a close eye on the monitors. They were well trained, Alex thought with a hint of pride. However, his eyes sought out one particular Rook. Meltdown was a comely young woman, with ambition enough to lift mountains. With her were as usual the Bedlam brothers. The three were friends, but Alex knew that Meltdown was using them. Both the Bedlams were sleeping with her, which if either found out, would be bad for themselves, and for Meltdown. They would do for what he wanted. They would do nicely. As they were Sea Wall Prelates originally, they were under Deathbird, and would probably follow her orders over his…. Before. After Meltdown however, and the fact that Alex had shown them the Haven, the bedlams were friendly enough with him.   
 "Jesse, Terry." The two looked up from their conversation with Tabitha.   
 "Hey, Alex." Jesse was the more relaxed of the two usually, but that wasn't saying much.   
 "There's something I need you guys to do."  
 "Sure Alex. Just say it, we'll do it." Maybe Terry was the more relaxed. Alex didn't know, and at the moment, he didn't really care.  
 Alex pointed to the monitor on which the bodyguard was walking along the corridors, occasionally stopping to greet someone, or to converse with someone for a while.   
 "I just saw him go to a restricted area. I'd send one of my Rooks, but Candra warned me that if any Rook ever harassed him, it was my neck."  
 The brothers laughed slightly. Like everyone else, they knew the story. Ordinarily the laughter would have annoyed Alex, but now he supposed it was probably better. It still didn't stop him from flushing slightly.  
 "Sure Alex. We know. We'll do it. Just questions right? Or do we bring him in."  
 Alex thought it over, then, "Just question him. If he sounds suspicious, bring him in."  
 The brothers laughed again and went away, probably discussing how to deal with the bodyguard. Knowing the two, it would be funny, as well as humiliating for the bodyguard.  
 He sat in his throne. He had another problem, a problem that beginning to get worse. Lorna had become more questioning about his disappearances. And the Bedlams had once kidded him about red heads in front of Lorna. Alex had hurried away, and made some sort of explanation to Lorna about how this redhead at the Haven had been trying to hit on him. Lorna had seemed believing, but he had this eerie feeling of being watched sometimes, and Lorna had gotten more and more violent in bed. Alex wasn't sure if Lorna suspected anything, or whether she was just letting out some steam. She had been upset when Quja had died. Alex sighed. He should break it off with Scarlet, but recently he had more and more urges to go to her, to be with her. He was pretty sure he loved Lorna, but he was also beginning to realize that he had also fallen for Scarlet. Which was a problem.   
  
                                          x---------------------------x

 Remy hurried along the corridors. Everything seemed normal to him, but he had a feeling something big was happening. He supposed it could be the adrenaline from his battle against Deathbird. That was probably it. His eyes narrowed. He had wasted enough time. No more excuses. He knew Sinister wasn't dead. That bastard wouldn't die so easily. And he was sure Candra knew where he was. From what he had gleaned, the two externals had worked together for a long time. Not overtly, just going along in fairly the same direction for much of their lives. Candra was a sensualist. She reveled in creature comforts. She had two aphrodisiacs, power, and sensuality. Which probably explained why she was attracted to him. He had analyzed her long enough. He knew her little quirks, her weaknesses, her strengths. She was a skilled fighter, as well as skilled in her power. Still, having lived for centuries would make that a given. She was cruel and depraved. He couldn't forget that, though it was easy to when he was in her arms. He had to keep one thing clear in his mind. It was revenge. It was all about getting even. Keeping a vow. A vow that shaped his life. That should have shaped his life. He had lost track of himself during that pleasant interlude with the X-men and Rogue… but now he was back to what he had been doing. He had worked under Apocalypse earlier, before his rescue by Magneto, a mutant who had become his close friend. Now he was nothing to him.   
 So lost was Remy in his thoughts that he ran into what seemed like a solid wall. He grunted and looked up, to see who had come in his way. The Bedlams weren't too tall. Terry was about his height, with Jesse being almost the same. However, Terry had a bigger build as well as armor. He smiled down at him.   
 "Hey man, Alex wants to know what you're doing here."  
Remy cursed his luck. He should have been paying attention. There were two ways out for him. He could kill the Bedlams, and seek out and kill Candra. But that way he would not get Sinister. Furthermore, there was a chance he would not manage to reach Candra. There were camera's everywhere, and he would have scant chance against all the EMF, as well as Candra and Exodus, not to mention the rest of Apocalypse's forces and the big man himself. He could also try to talk his way out of it. He was always good at that. Plus, these two did not know him at all.   
 "Sorry hommes, but why would de High Prelate be wanting me? I'm just Candra's bodyguard."  
 Jesse shrugged, "Hey, he says he saw you enter a restricted area. You're not supposed to have been there."  
 So, he was seen. With the others who also went there, Remy was pretty certain Alex's hackles would be raised. Still, the high prelate would not want to confront Candra. Best he played this relaxed, smooth.   
 "Sorry about dat homme, I din' know it was restricted. Been dere with Candra once, so I didn' think it would be restricted. 'Sides, dis Cajun needed to get out o' her sight for a while. She been getting to 'possessive' of late, hein?"  
 Terry began to laugh. Remy supposed it was a good thing all the Prelates were amused by the fact that Candra seemed to only keep him on as a lover. It did rankle in him though.   
 "I din' figure she'd come look for me dere, bein' with Apocalypse an all right now. Now, you don' really wanna take me to Alex just for dis?"  
 Jesse and Terry smiled at him, Terry clapping him on the back hard enough to make Remy stumble.  
 "You're a funny guy, bodyguard. Catch us sometime you're off… if you're ever off, an we'll get you out of Candra's sights. Havens free to us, and we'd welcome your company."  
 Remy smiled to himself. The two were a good sort. Still, he had no time to go off with them.   
 "T'ank's homme, but if Candra finds out I been running around in Haven, she'll skin me alive. She gets real jealous."  
 Terry and Jesse began laughing again.   
 "Get along bodyguard, and make sure you guard her body good tonight!"  
 Ha, ha. Remy wasn't really amused, but he supposed it was good that they were letting him go. He'd done it again. Damn, he was charming!  
 Now, to get back before Candra noticed he was missing. He hoped she had not returned yet.   
  


                                     x--------------------------------x

   It had been a few hours now. Plague had been dead for a while, and Rogue and Magnus watched over their child. Charles. A name to honor the memory of their friend and mentor, as well as a name that brought hope, for that was what Charles Xavier had been. Hope. With the birth of another, there was once again hope. It filled Magnus's heart. As did love. He looked to the side, to where his wife gently touched their son. Touch, Rogues dream, had finally come true. To touch a baby. Her own baby. Magnus knew that no matter how much Rogue loved him, the baby would now always hold a place in her heart that even he could not reach. It held a large place in his as well. Indeed most of the X-men folded into so much mush at the sight of Charles. Even the feral Sabretooth was besotted with the baby, to a smaller extent. He didn't show it much anyway. Magnus was glad. Victor Creed had changed, more than Magnus would have believed possible. And no small part of that change was caused by Blink – Clarice. At first Magnus thought the two were lovers, but it was not so. The two had a platonic, father-daughter relationship. Strange. Still, it brought added might to Magnus and the X-men. Rogue had healed rapidly, one might say almost miraculously. Victor Creed's power had helped in that; helped to a great extent. Rogue was almost back to full power. She had lost a lot of blood though, and that made her thinner, though no weaker than before. She had treated it as a joke, saying she didn't need to watch what she ate for a while. However as her lover and husband, Magnus could not help but worry. 

 He shifted his thoughts to other matters. The team he had left on the ground had found the wandering mutant, a mutant he had seen before. A mutant who he knew from New York. He claimed his name was bishop, and Emma's cursory voyage into his mind had shown them images of themselves, strange, distorted. Exhausted the man had dropped off to sleep soon after being rescued. Magnus had let him. He had other things to worry about then. Now however his mind returned to what he had witnessed. He knew one thing. He had to find out what was going on.   
 "I shall be back soon my love. I must see to the mutant we have with us."  
 Rogue glanced up, nodded, and then returned to playing with her son. Magnus smiled slightly and left the room. Once Rogue would have been by his side, wanting to go wherever he went. Now she was content to let him do something's on his own. Not that it wasn't a relief in some ways. Rogue had been too stubborn and bloody-minded for her own good. For his patience at any rate. And she had become worse during and after her pregnancy.   
 He walked through the hybrid to the chambers – almost a prison – where the strange mutant – Bishop he had said his name was – lay. AS he walked in Magnus noticed no one was in the room. A pair of large black hands suddenly reached out from his left and grabbed his neck.   
 "Give me one reason why I shouldn't do away with you, Magneto."  
 Gasping for breath, the master of magnetism, tore one of Bishops hands away. It was no easy feat. Bishop was damnably strong.   
 "If you do not, I will rip your body to shreds." Magnus had no idea what this mutant was trying to prove, but he would deal with him if he dared to harm any aboard this ship.   
  "Hmm… good enough… for now," Bishop left Magnus and walked back to his bed. "I did not leave you because I feared your threat Magneto. I left you because it reminded me that things are different in this… world, this time! Everything is wrong! Wrong! And I do not know what!"  
 Bishop smashed his hands onto the bed, trembling with suppressed fury. Magnus stared at him. This world? Wrong? The man was mad.   
 "Be at ease, my friend. I will send for some -"  
 "NO!" Bishop turned around, one of his eyes glowing with power malevolently, "No one else. I have wandered this world for nearly two decades, trying to understand what was wrong. You, once the X-men's biggest enemy, leading them against another enemy, Apocalypse. Xavier is dead, Cyclops and Beast work for Apocalypse, for Sinister, and Sabretooth is one of the X-men… This is sheer insanity. I don't know what happened, only that something has happened, and I am part of the cause."  
 Magnus stared at him, then, "I would denounce you as being insane, friend, but your words somehow ring true. I don't know…. I will send for Emma. She is our only telepath, and she will access your thoughts, make them right, learn why you are in this state."  
 Bishop stared at him, "Emma Frost… humph. She too is an X-woman? Another change. Well…. Maybe not. She did teach at the Massachusetts…. It does not matter. Bring the White Queen, we will see what she has to say."

   
  An hour later Magnus sat in his room, his palms together, joined index fingers tapping his lips. He had a lot to think about. From what he and Emma had learnt, Bishop was a time-refugee of sorts, a man from a world that was much happier. The X-men had gone back in time to stop Legion, Xavier and Gabrielle's son of all things, from killing he, Magneto, and had succeeded. However, something had gone horribly wrong. Instead of going back to the future… the X-men had got caught in a time loop, horribly altered by Legions death. From there, only Bishop, who could wield temporal energies to some extent, managed to escape, landing in this world, a world where Legion did not exist, because Xavier and Gabrielle had not been together long enough to have any sort of relationship. The war had been started by the Hellfire Club, and Apocalypse had arrived. And one thing led to another, the war began, and the world was buried beneath the ashes of a once proud race. The humans had been defeated, and Apocalypse had taken over America. The heroes of the world had been defeated, Apocalypse had become stronger and stronger. Even the loss of his original citadel had been a temporary drawback, as his new Tower situated in Louisiana was even more fortified, even more heavily guarded. Magnus remembered the shuddering defeat the X-men had faced there. And then had come Muir. The Island had been destroyed by Apocalypse, and the X-men had fled. Magneto's darkest hour. Now however, things were looking up. They had defeated two of his horsemen, and stopped one of his cullings decisively. Slowly but surely they were getting their own back. He wondered what had happened to the others, the ones who had infiltrated the Sea Wall and gone to London. He hoped they still lived, and had been successful.   
 Magneto knew there was nothing that could be done for Bishop. The mans mind was a mess, and would probably remain. Emma had tried to pick out the thoughts of the other world, and then remove them, but the thoughts and memories were so much a part of Bishop that removing them could potentially render Bishop a vegetable. Which was not what Magneto wanted. In Bishop they had a strong ally. And Bishop had been agreeable to this. If nothing else, Bishop had wanted to save this world from Apocalypse. Magneto hoped the strength of his conviction could see him through safely.   
 The entire craft shook suddenly as though something had hit it. Magneto stood quickly and ran outside. Before he had taken two steps Pietro was there.   
 "Father! A ship suddenly appeared out of thin air. Apparently it was hidden from our sensors and only appeared on our view screens moments ago. Just before it attacked. It's already deploying Infinites. And not just infinites but other deformities. I am sorry about this father…"  
 Magneto shook his head, his mouth set in a grim line. So this was Apocalypse's response.   
 "You are not to blame Pietro. Apocalypse is… Come, we go to battle."  
 

  The entire side of the ship had been hit, three blasts of high intensity energy. Only the hybrids superior armor kept the blasts from tearing through the hull. On the bridge Magneto watched as the pilots strained to keep it afloat. He could see the ship ahead, and the swarms of Infinites and, as Pietro had put it, other deformities. Mutants, and what Magneto assumed were experiments of Dark Beast. However it was what led them that made Magneto's lips stretch thinner. Standing above the ship was a figure glowing yellow. A large figure, encased in glowing yellow armor. Holocaust. Apocalypse's son and right hand man… mutant. With him was the Prelate Lumina. He had almost fifty mutant with him, as well as hundreds of Infinites. They were more than outnumbered. Lumina was capable of taking on one X-man fairly easily. Holocaust more than capable.   
 "Engage defenses. Take out the Rooks first. They are attacking en masse. That shall be their downfall. Once the Rooks fall, concentrate on the mutant units. The Infinites will be my problem. To me X-men!"  
 

                                                   x-----------------------x

  Logan stood outside the door to the infirmary. Inside he could hear Ororo and Jean talking softly… about Warrens wings. Logan didn't want to know. Kurt had not proved to be much of an outlet, sitting and concentrating too much on what he was doing. Logan had thought of chasing down Shiro, but the Japanese would probably be as hard to talk to as Scott. That left the two women in the infirmary. Logan was surprised he hadn't considered them earlier. Warren's health was safeguarded; in the de-tox tank he would recover most of his outer wounds. It was the internal damage done to his wings that would need to be seen to… later though. Logan figured it was because he didn't want to appear weak, especially to these two. The two had been among his closest friends, indeed Jean had been much more, but he had shrunk from going to them at first. He shook his head. He was acting differently, and he needed to unburden himself. For that only Jean would have sufficed. It was a good thing no one else could or would talk to him right now. In the end he would have gone to Jean.   
 He walked in, clearing his throat in order to break into their conversation politely.   
 "Sorry fer interrupting, but I really need ta talk to ya Jeannie."  
 He bowed his head, not looking at either in the eye. Ororo raised a puzzled brow, but obliged, walking out of the door, with a parting comment, "I'll see what is happening in the cockpit. I'll be back shortly." The last was meant as a forewarning of her return, so she didn't interrupt anything.   
 As soon as Ororo left Logan walked over to a chair, and sat down, running his hand through his mane of hair. Jean folded her arms below her breasts and gave hi a pointed glance.   
 "Okay Logan, spill. What's bothering you. It must be something big for you to come down here and want to talk to me. Besides I can see you're nervous. What's wrong?" She spoke gently, but firmly. Logan would have smiled if he exerted himself, but right now he was too tired, too melancholy, too depressed to. Jean knew him well.   
 "I… I met someone… I … Ah Dammit Jean, I don't know how ta explain myself."  
 Jean leaned forward, her brows narrowing in concern.   
 "Logan? You… met someone? I don't understand? What are you trying to say? Do you want me to read your mind?"  
 At that Logan shook his head, "Nah… I… I need to let it out Jean."  
 She leaned back and nodded, waiting for him to continue. Logan steeled himself and then let the memories swirl around him.   
 "Ya know a long time ago, before joining the X-men, before I met ya and the others, I was in Japan?" Jean nodded with his words. She knew his life history better than anyone, except maybe Xavier when he had been alive. Now maybe only Creed knew him better.   
 "I was a warrior there, learning their art of fighting. Learning how ta kill others, as well as defend myself. Over there I also met a woman. Mariko…" The name brought pain with it. A pain in his heart that struck deep. Mariko… 

 Logan looked up at Jean, his heart in his eyes.   
 "I loved her Jeannie… I loved her with all I had, all I could…"  
 Jean stared at him.   
 "What happened?" Jean asked, in a near whisper.   
 Logan bowed his head, "She died… killed by blowfish poison. It was before the whole Apocalypse wars began. Just before. I had just returned and found her in our home to be… lying on the floor, a shattered glass vial behind her." He could remember that day so well, the grim despair that had gripped him. The feeling of wanting to kill, to destroy whatever had done this to his Mariko. He had run into the forests, hopping form place to place, until he had been captured by S.H.I.E.L.D, and the Weapon X program. Just before the war had begun. The darkest years of his life. Weapon X and the ensuing war had given him no time to think about Mariko, and then he had met Jean, and the agony had died a little. With her leaving him so recent, and the meeting with Mariko, only to moments later realize she was as inaccessible to him as she had been when he had thought her dead. Not that she was much different now. He looked up, and saw Jean staring back at him with tears swimming in her eyes. He realized he had been broadcasting. He cursed himself as Jean bowed her head.   
 "Oh… Logan… I … I'm so sorry… What can I say, or do… I can't help your pain… I can't take it away. I can only…"  
 Logan held up a hand.  
 "It's okay Jeannie… I just… needed to vent." Logan was disgusted to find his voice cracking as he spoke. Jeannie looked at him a little longer and then opened her arms and hugged him closer to her, placing his head in the hollow between her shoulder and her neck. The human and the animal in Logan succumbed to her embrace, needing it.   
 Logan sat on his knees in front of her, clutching her to him, almost painfully, dealing with his pain. Her presence was intoxicating, as it had always been, pulling a cover over Mariko and his memories, blanketing them in her splendor. Logan raised his head and stared deep into her eyes. Then he gave into the animal in him and kissed her.   
 He kissed her with the passion of a man who knows it's his last kiss, his last moment. He kissed her with all the passion in his soul. He kissed her with all the love he bore for her.   
 His heart exulted as she responded for an instant, her mouth opening to gasp below his. Then suddenly she was backing away form him.   
 Not fast enough.   
 The doorway opened before they had fully parted, and Scott stared at them.   
 Logan looked up at Scott, saw the sudden clench of his jaw, and then the relaxation of the jaw.   
 "I just came down to check on Warren, and felt these powerful emotions in my head. Careless Jean, you should have blocked it." He spoke matter-of-factly. Logan could hear a weary resignation in his voice, as well as a grim finality.   
 Jean looked up at him, her eyes wide, her upper lip twitching. She shuddered slightly, her eyes blinking open and closed, once.   
 "Scott, it's not what it seemed like. I…"  
 Scott slashed a hand through the air. Logan could feel the controlled violence in the mutant. He clenched his jaw. Damn… he shouldn't have let his wilder side get control of him. It was the mood, the emotions running wild in him.   
 "Scott, it was my fault. I came here looking for help, to deal with some problems I been having. Look, for what it's worth, I nearly forced it on her."  
 Scott looked at him and then turned to Jean.  
 "I see… you forced her to kiss you. I… I'm sorry for interfering. I have no rights over you Jean… there's no need to look so guilty. I'm just glad you made yourself clear, even if it was in such a… messy way."  
 Scott turned and walked out, leaving Jean staring after him, her hand outstretched.   
 "You want I get him for you Jeannie. Make him understand?"  
 Jean shook her head in resignation.   
 "No… not now. He won't be ready to listen. I'll just have to explain it to him later."  
 Logan lowered his head.  
 "I'm sorry Jeannie. I didn't mean to… what can I say, it was my fault. I'll understand if ya don't…"  
 Jean looked up angrily at him. 

 "Don't be stupid Logan. It was the moment. We were both swamped with you memories. It would have had some sort of consequences. Scott and I… we'll deal with it. I'm just glad to have been of help." The last sentence said with a gentle smile.   
 Logan shook his head.  
 "You're too young to need ta bother with my problems. I'm fine Jeannie. Just needed to vent some. Talk to him. I ain't seen ya happier than when yer with him, darlin'. You an' he, you're perfect together. Settle this quick. Trust me, letting it fester ain't gonna be helpful in the long run. Let him cool down, and then tackle him. Don't take no fer an answer. Yer good at that."  
 Jean smiled again, a more genuine smile.   
 "Thank you Logan. Now go back, I can't help Warren with you hovering about. And send Ororo."   
 As Logan left he saw Jean bow her head, pressing a hand to her face. He stiffened his shoulders. Scott would understand, one way or another.   
  
                                             x--------------------------x

   Remy hurried through the corridors, trying to reach Candra without attracting any more interest. Havok had taken an interest here, and that spelled trouble for Remy. If he could get close enough to recognize him, Havok would go straight to Apocalypse. With the security chief now sniffing around his heels, Remy had to make plans fast. His mind burned through scenarios, but there was nothing. If only Sinister was still here. Remy would have enjoyed killing him. As it is he only had his suspicions about his even being alive. He had to know, and fast. He had to avenge Belladonna, he HAD to! It was all he had left.   
 He slowed as he came closer to Candra's quarters. No one apart from the customary guards were outside. He walked up to the door, which recognizing his bio-signature opened. He walked inside hesitantly, warily eyeing the room for any signs of Candra. None. She still wasn't back. 

 He supposed he should be relieved, but right now he wanted some answers, and he wanted them quick. 

                                            x----------------------------x  
   
  Alex paced his little platform, the space confining him to only a few steps before he had to turn again. The Bedlams had yet to return, hopefully bringing the bodyguard with them. He knew the fellow, he had met him before. But where? He did not know. All he knew was that he knew him from somewhere. Alex clenched a fist. Candra protected him, and all were aware of her protection. If he could find out anything at all about this bodyguard, that would be damning for Candra, he would take it to Apocalypse himself. Being the leader of all Prelates, even if he had to share that leadership with another, had some advantages. He could seek audience with Apocalypse. And if he found out that Deathbird was involved with this bodyguard, then he would be supreme. He would be the only leader of the prelates, perhaps even one of Apocalypse's right hand men. And if he played his cards right, he would one day take Apocalypse's place.   
 The door opened and he turned, expectantly, a grim smile on his face. It was the Bedlams, as he had expected, and they brought someone with them, but not as a prisoner, and not the person Alex wanted to see. Lorna… damn.   
 The Bedlams walked up and saluted him in their joking way. Once he had total control he would make them serious.   
 "Where is he?" Why had the Bedlams not brought the bodyguard. They had better have a good reason, or he would skin them alive.   
 "Hey Alex, you said bring him if he sounded suspicious. He'd been there before, he didn't know it was restricted having gone with Candra, and at this time he just needed some place to get some fresh air… so to speak, not much chance of getting fresh air here, what with all the dead people out there, but-"  
 Alex flushed with rage.   
 "He what? You didn't bring him because he needed some fresh air? You thought that was a good excuse?" His fist trembled. The two didn't notice, but Jesse looked at him in a slightly irritable way.   
 "Hey man, he said he'd been there with Candra. You want us to go head to head with her? No fear pal, you want to piss on Candra's boots, you do it on your own."  
 Alex suppressed his instinct to throttle Jesse. He calmed himself. Maybe the man had said something incriminating. 

  "Okay… fair enough. What else did he say?"  
 Terry began laughing.   
 "He talked about how Candra ran him to the ground all the time. Made some Cajun joke in that accent of his. Hell, it seemed like we really were in New Orleans like it was years back. If you closed your eyes you could probably imagine him as some bayou boy, swamp rat."  
 Alex frowned thoughtfully. Swamp rat, swamp rat… why was that so familiar. Suddenly his eyes widened. He remembered a fight against the X-men a few years ago, when he and Lorna had gone up against Rogue. The two had double teamed her until another X-man had interfered. The mutant had been called Gambit, and he had been a Cajun. He had flung three playing cards at him, and Alex had been flung back due to the impact. He had heard, dazedly, Rogue thanking Gambit, calling him swamp rat.   
 He snapped his fingers. That was why he had seemed so familiar. It was only because Gambit had later left the X-men that Alex didn't remember immediately. Gambit had also been there during the time the X-men attacked the Tower to save that rebel, Jean Grey. The woman who had subverted his brother, revealing Scott's weakness. An X-man in the tower, aided and abetted by Candra. This was perfect.   
  "That's very good news Bedlams, thank you."  
 They looked a bit surprised, then shrugged.   
 "Okay Alex… we're off to the haven, wanna join us?"  
 Alex shook his head and the two departed. Lorna who had stood quiet till now walked up to him with a determined look on her face. She was feeling confrontational. That wasn't good, but he didn't have time to talk to her now.   
 "Alex-"  
 He cut her off, "Not now Lorna. I have something I need to do…" he stared at the monitor that showed the restricted area. Perfect. Alex smiled, "and I need to go do it now."  
 He walked off without another word. Lorna stared at his back, and Alex knew he would have hell to pay when she met him again. Still, if all went as planned, maybe he won't.   
  
                                      x----------------------------------x

 Apocalypse walked cautiously into the room where he had stored all his Shi'ar devices. The alarm he had designed for the room had gone off, alerting him to the presence of someone there. The destruction of Death had diverted him for a while, but now he was free to investigate. The first thing that caught his eye was the small glowing object on the floor. A Shi'ar device. He then saw the body of Deathbird. She was dead, her neck snapped cleanly. He walked up to her and pulled off her headpiece. Her hair flared out behind her head, in almost a crest like formation. As he had suspected. She was Shi'ar. However her death meant little other than he had lost another commander. One liable to betray him certainly, but a commander nonetheless. He wondered who might have done this. Her partner? Or someone else. His scanners showed him nothing other than three people had been in this room, Deathbird one of them. He held up the device. Interesting, it was shaped almost in a perfect circle, with one part jutting out into a place to hold. Slim hands, certainly not his fists. Concentrating slightly, Apocalypse changed his form into one that was the exact duplicate, externally, of Deathbird.   
 "Now, to use this device."   
 With the knowledge he had gained from the Celestial technology he possessed he was able to learn several languages, from Kree to Shi'ar to even that used by the almighty celestials. He pressed the device into one likely crevice. As he did the machine sprang to life, humming so gently even he had trouble hearing the vibrations. A large globe opened up to reveal a monitor. And on the monitor was the face of a male Shi'ar. It spoke.   
 "You have been delayed Cal'Sayee. What news of the shield? Do we dare invade this planet full force? Remember, we cannot have delays. You said in our last communication that your contact was working on it. We need to have that shield down, otherwise we will not be able to attack full force. We will waste precious resources subverting the shield that appeared a few years ago, and you know without the whole army, we will never be able to defeat this world. If not for this Apocalypse who you pretend to serve, we would have invaded years ago. You must bring the shield down."  
 Apocalypse smiled… this fool had given him all the information he needed. The Shi'ar were planning an attack, and it was only through his activation of the celestials equipment that had prevented these Shi'ar from attacking. As long as it stayed up, they could not attack. He reverted to his real form. He reveled in the fools intake of breath.   
 "Greetings Shi'ar. I am Apocalypse. Your compatriot, known to me as Deathbird, is dead. Know this, you can never attack me, not without facing certain death and destruction. I know of your empire, indeed I have known of it for over five thousand years. Come if you will, Shi'ar! I will be waiting."  
 Apocalypse pulled out the device, shutting the machine down. The last thing he saw was the face of Deathbirds commander, pale with shock. Apocalypse smiled. If the Shi'ar did attack, they would find a world filled with the strong, a world that would destroy them.   
 Now, he could turn his mind to other pressing matters. With the expansion of the Sea Wall underway, he would have nothing to fear from the humans. They would be too busy battling his perimeter security platforms. A battle that would be in vain. Apocalypse had built them to withstand nuclear assaults, and be able to destroy with weapons beyond even that. Still… at least it guaranteed the destruction of a weak race. He looked down at Deathbird. He now had two immediate problems. One was the X-men, which Holocaust should have engaged by now. The other were these partners and contacts of Deathbirds.   
 "I must find them, before they can cause any more trouble!"  
 He heard the sound of heavy booted feet and whirled around, ready to destroy whoever it was.   
 "I can help you with that my Lord." Havok bowed to his master. Apocalypse relaxed, but only slightly. He may still need to be alert, just in case this Prelate was in league with Deathbird.   
 "Indeed? Tell me what you think you know."

                                             x-----------------------------x

   Remy watched carefully as Candra sat down in one of the gigantic and soft chairs in the room. Her legs crossed and she watched him as he sat in the chair in front, having taken off all his armor. She had arrived moments ago, and was a little annoyed at finding him in his armor, or in the process of taking it off. The talk with Apocalypse had not gone well, apparently. Not too bad for her. Apparently there was little standing in her way now to becoming second in command. Remy knew her well. Candra wanted power, yes, and hungered for it. However she was also lazy, and would prefer someone else to manage that power, while still having absolute control. Candra wasn't exactly lazy, but she was not one to be hurried into anything. She liked having power, and reveling in it. She didn't like making too many decisions. In her position, as one of Apocalypse's mighty externals, she had what she wanted. She did revel in combat as well. Candra was an exceedingly sensual and passionate creature. Remy knew how she ticked. And he now needed to put full use of his own power over her.   
 Candra's eyes had taken on an intensity, and intensity that Remy knew well. He watched as she stood up, flaunting her body through the clutching garment she wore.   
 She turned and pushed her back towards him, wanting him to take off her clothes. Remy complied, unclipping her light armor, and then unzipping her polymer-fiber tights. He smoothed his palms over her back, watching her arch backwards like a cat. Bed, he supposed, was as good a place as any to get the answers he needed.   
 His hands moved along her ribs to gently cup her breasts. She groaned low in her throat. Then reached back with her arms and pulled his head down, kissing him upside down. Remy moved one hand lower, pushing the material further down her body, exploring each part with a roving hand. Candra now fully pressed herself against him, grinding her hips against his crotch. Remy pulled back long enough to whisper in her ear.  
 "I've been here long enough Candra. And I know something's. Things which you would have kept from me. Where is Sinister?"  
 Candra stopped kissing his neck for one second, and then continued nuzzling his throat. She turned in his embrace and pressed herself against him fully. She bit his chin slightly and then licked his slightly parted lips.  
 "Now, why would you believe Nathaniel is alive?"  
 Remy laughed humorlessly, "Because I know you Candra, and I know him better. He'll have a back up plan, I know. Besides, de others and Apocalypse also believe him to be alive somewhere. Don' play wit me Candra. Not now, not anymore. T'ings are coming to a head, and I want t'ings between Sinister and I to be finished."  
 Candra stepped back from him, her eyes flashing.   
 "So… you are still bent on avenging your one time lover. A fitting irony then. But before I answer your questions, tell me one thing. Who's the girl?"

 Remy had been concentrating on her words so much that he almost missed her question. It left him pole-axed. Girl?  
 His hesitation seemed to confirm something in Candra's luminous blue eyes. They grew cold and she pulled herself up.  
 "Tell me, Lebeau! Who is she?! If not, I'll make Dark Beast pry the information from your mind."  
 Girl… surely she could not mean Deathbird? How would she know? It was impossible. Yet as Candra distanced himself from him he realized that Candra was now furious. Enraged due to jealousy.   
 "Candra… dere is no girl. I don't know what you're talking about, an' I don' much care. Now, you didn' answer my question. Where's Sinister!"  
 Candra struck without warning. He felt merciless unseen fingers grab his hands and fling him back against the wall, pinning him. Candra leaned back and procured a dampening device. Remy lashed out instinctively and the small bracelet type device exploded in Candra's hands, making Candra yelp with pain. She looked at him, and Remy saw death in her eyes. She believed him to have cheated on her. Well, if need be, he'd make her suffer before he quizzed her on Sinister's whereabouts.   
 "We can do dis de hard way, or we can do dis de easy way Candra."  
 She laughed, "easy for a mutant who's stuck to the wall to say. Can you carry out any threat you make?"  
 Remy knew his empathy wouldn't work on her, not with any large amount of success. He instead focused on the chairs around her, and him. They began to glow. He relaxed into the easy flow of his powers, feeling the charge. Candra's eyes widened in rage and she leapt forward, a telekinetic version of her blasting forward to smash into him, knocking the wind out of him, and stopping him from fully charging the chairs. Nevertheless, Remy rubbed his fingers together and smiled grimly. The chairs burst into flame, not exploding completely, but enough to make Candra wince.   
 "You'll pay for your betrayal, Lebeau."  
 Wave after wave of telekinetic blasts hit him, and he fell to the floor, cowering from the pain and hurt she inflicted on him. She walked up to him, looking as imperiously beautiful as the first time he had seen her. She was surrounded by flames, which glowed around her with a strange luminescence, casting part of her face and body into shadows. Just like the first time he had seen her, walking towards him on the rooftop, with Belladonna in her grasp. Belladonna. His resolve strengthened and he looked at Candra, feeling her every atom glow.   
 "You jus' made de biggest mistake of your life, chere."  
 Candra hesitated, and Remy silently amended his previous statement. Her hesitation was the biggest mistake she had ever made, for now Remy had time to charge her entire body, making her explode. Not something he could do with any ease, and he felt his power draining out of him like as if leaking from a sieve. He felt his body going numb, as Candra began to glow with a different luminescence. Her clothes made it easier, as did her armored boots. Candra's eyes grew panicked, and her attacks suddenly began increasing in momentum. Finally, when he didn't let up on his attack, Candra's eyes grew colder than anything Iceman could ever make. Remy felt despair wash up in him. He wasn;t fast enough, and knowing that he was going to kill him, Candra had just made her choice.   
 "I only wanted to punish you… I never wanted it to come to this, but you leave me no choice Remy."  
 He could feel it, her gathering her will, in order to unleash her powers and annihilate him. She could do it, he knew.   
 An explosion happened then, and Remy was flung aside, as was Candra. Dazedly Remy looked towards Candra, wondering what had happened. She lay on the ground, groaning and trying to stand. Then a voice spoke, and Remy's blood froze. He watched as Candra also froze, and lost all her color. It was the voice of doom, a thunderous, impossibly deep voice.   
 "A pity it has come to this indeed, Candra. You also, leave me no choice."  
 As Remy fainted he saw the booted feet of Apocalypse, as well as Havok bending down above him. With the last breath he took before fainting, Remy cursed.  
 "Merde…"  
  
                                              x----------------------x

 Emma moved slowly. Staring down at the chaos below her, she was in no hurry to rush to her death. Here, in the Hybrid, she would be of most use. Her job was simple. Shut down the brains of all the enemies on the field. This immediately counted out the Infinites, they had no brains to speak of. The mutant units were protected, but not too strongly. They could be taken down, with a little time and effort. The Uber-leutnants were different. They had strong protection, and wearing it down would take time they did not have. The Rooks and Prelate Lumina also had extremely strong shields. Emma cursed Dark Beast. She could read their minds, as well as hurt them with psychic bolts, but kill them… no. Being under-strength with half their members only, the X-men were at a disadvantage. With Sean out of action, and Rogue still weaker than usual because of her pregnancy, they were having problems with this mass assault.   
 Iceman was taking on an entire mutant unit on his own. So far he was able to hold them off, being a much stronger mutant, but it was taking a lot of his strength. Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch were holding their own against another mutant unit, but it was getting harder to take down the mutants. They were well trained, not attacking en masse, but slowly wearing the two X-men down, using flanking attacks and hiding whenever they could. Sabretooth and Blink were teaming up against another mutant unit. That left two mutant units, one of which were attacking the Hybrid directly. Emma trusted Know-it-all, who had hacked into the Hybrid's core system, to handle them. More than part machine, Know-it-all was almost completely machine like at times.   
 Which left one mutant unit for her to handle. Magneto and Rogue had already drawn away the Infinites and the Rooks. Holocaust still attacked the Hybrid. Lumina was also out there somewhere. The X-men were badly outnumbered. Emma gritted her teeth and continued to attack the mutant units with her psi-bolts. Give them pain, and then shut them down. It still took too long. It had been fifteen minutes since the attack began, and she had taken down only three- four of the blasted creatures. Her mind was on overload, connecting together everyone, as well as attacking the mutant units.   
 * Emma, Iceman needs help, quickly! *  
 Emma turned to Iceman, who was getting swamped by the mutant unit her faced. Emma focused and sent a powerful psi-wave towards them. Not very effective, but it would do for now. The units staggered slightly, and Iceman broke free. Thankfully, he had already taken down the Uber-leutnant. Emma quickly turned her attention back to the mutant units reaching the Hybrid. Know-it-all already had her hands full. Emma scattered them with a psi-wave, and then chose one out and began the process of shutting off his brain. Form the corner of her eye she noticed that Sabretooth and Blink were making short work of their unit. With Sabretooth's savagery, and Blink displacing any who tried to swamp him, it seemed as though they were having an easy time. However Emma could tell Blink's power was getting stretched to its limit. Sabretooth on the other hand, reveled in the combat, seemingly growing stronger with each kill. Emma had seen Logan fight long enough to know he was getting closer to going berserk.   
  Quicksilver had procured a rope from somewhere and looped around two of the units, who Scarlet Witch hexed with ease. They seemed to have handled their units well enough, with only four left, as well as the Uber-leutnant.   
 One unit down, Emma thought with triumph. There were still five left for her to shut down.   
 Magneto was making short work of the Infinites, while Rogue took on the deformed cyborgs, and humans who had been upgraded to something beyond human, though less than mutant. Though it seemed that Rogue was unwilling to absorb any of them. A bright light suddenly filled the corner of Emma's vision. Turning she saw that Lumina had reached one of the X-men. Blink displaced herself, but Lumina was too close to Sabretooth. Sabretooth was not in the throes of a berserker rage though, which proved to be what saved him. He threw the bodies of two units at the expanding shield Lumina was creating, causing the charge to illuminate their bodies, each molecule in their body exploding, leaving only smoking remains. Emma froze. Lumina had grown more powerful. 

 A Magnetic blast from the sky slammed into the shield, breaking past and smashing into her. Lumina fell to the ground, slamming down hard. Sabretooth ran towards her, ignoring the units attempting to impede his progress. Suddenly a blast rained down from the sky, and Sabretooth was flung back. Into the smoke created by the blast fell a heavy object, causing small tremors to run through the ground.   
 As Sabretooth stood, out of the smoke charged Holocaust, slamming into the feral mutant. Sabretooth went flying back, slamming into some debris, pushing in due to the impact, and getting buried under.   
 Another brain down, another unit down. Emma grabbed another and fed a hundred psi-bolts in rapid succession. She didn't have time it seemed. Holocaust had joined the battle. 

 "Mr. Creed!" The heartfelt cry resounded against a chord in Emma. Such desolation from one so young. It reminded her of herself, as the White Queen, at the tender age of seventeen, fooling the others with her telepathy. As she stood she saw some one she had never expected to see again. Quicksilver had slowed down, indeed he could barely move. Harry Leland stood in front of him, exerting his gravitational pull to keep Quicksilver grounded. Long enough for another Rook, Scanner to reach out and grab Quicksilver, using her bio-kinetically charged form to inflict pain directly onto his body. Quicksilver screamed and fell. The Scarlet Witch raised her hand and hex-bolts rained down on Scanner, knocking her back. Leland once again used his power, and Scarlet Witch found herself being pulled down.   
 Blink charged at Holocaust, despite Magneto's shouted cry warning her against it. Magneto had problems of his own as three Infinites plowed into him. Using his powers, he blasted them apart, but that only left dozens more streaming towards him and the Hybrid.   
 Three more units with an Uber-leutnant leading them still raced towards her and the Hybrid. Emma was in a quandary. Who should she help?   
 Blink threw one of her displacement daggers at Holocaust, which only seemed to annoy him. He sent blast after blast at Blink, who quickly teleported to escape the attack. Ice man had problems as well, as Lumina had recovered and was focusing on him now. Her energy grid was expanding, this time more tightly packed together. Lumina had greater control over her powers, that much was certain. Iceman skidded around her grid, trying to get a shot off on her. He began freezing the floor, but his ice was consumed by Lumina's grid. Finally Iceman backed off, but her grid was expanding fast. It began narrowing out, and lengthening. Lumina had grown much, much more skilled… very much more indeed. Iceman looked back, and skidded on, employing all the power he had to get away. However with a few mutant units still left, he was getting boxed in.   
 Holocaust was toying with Blink. No matter what the young mutant tried, Holocaust was there, letting rip with his bio-nuclear blasts, which Blink hurriedly teleported to avoid. Blink was waning, and holocaust was getting closer and closer to doing heavy damage to her.   
 Emma hesitated, and saw to her horror that a mutant unit stood directly by her, only meters away from the Hybrid. Blood dripped from his nose. Emma recognized the unit as the one who she had attacked with psi-bolts. The mutant smiled and his hands began to glow with energy. Emma quirked an eyebrow, and sent another massive assault directly into his head. The unit staggered, but steadied, still charging. One hand pointed at Emma. Too late, thought Emma in resignation. She began backtracking.   
 "I think we should leave zis place, nein?"  
 Emma gasped as a two fingered hand snaked around her neck. Then reality warped around her, and the next second she was standing a hundred meters back, watching as an explosion took place in front of her, the shockwave forcing her to stagger backwards.   
 "What?" Emma turned to see Nightcrawler salute her before porting away. Emma smiled as she felt the other X-men's presence in her head. A large craft flew down to the battlefield, with minute figures dropping from it. Emma recognized the craft as one belonging to Apocalypse. Where had the X-men gotten it from? She banished questions form her head as she stared at the mutant who had tried to kill her. She smiled. Reinforcements had arrived. There was no need to worry about others, and she could concentrate on her self only. The mutant fell back under Emma's renewed attack.   
 

                                       x------------------------------x

 Sammaels personal ship had detected a battle going on somewhere on the west coast. Scott watched over Kurt's shoulder as he began pinpointing the location. With a cry of alarm, Kurt ported over to Kitty. Scott stumbled back as the stench hit him full force, coupled with the suddenness of Kurt's departure. 

 "Kitten, we must go to these co-ordinates, immediately. Ze X-men are under attack!"  
 Scott wondered how Kurt knew. Kitty had already put in the co-ordinates and was practically bouncing on her seat, willing the craft to move faster. Next to her Peter sat grimly, watching the small grid-map between the two pilot's seats. Scott studied the markings on the larger grid-map and navigation board Kurt had been monitoring earlier. One of Apocalypse's carriers was there… no… not a normal carrier. A special one. Holocausts favorite carrier. The one with which he had devastated half the world. While it was not specially built, like Sammael's was, Holocausts carrier was much larger, and could carry a lot of troops. Scott's fists clenched. If the X-men were facing Holocaust with full capacity, then they would be severely outnumbered.   
  "Not just under attack, Kurt… but under attack from Holocaust, and if I don't miss my guess, anywhere between five hundred to a thousand Infinites. Apart from Mutant units, Prelates and Holocaust himself. We have to hurry."  
 Kitty stared at him, aghast.  
  "Hell yeah, we have to hurry. It should take about fifteen to twenty minutes at the speed we're hitting."  
 Scott nodded, and turned back to the monitor. He focused on the symbol of Holocaust that hovered over one showing an enemy ship, but his mind kept on slipping back to the image he had seen only minutes previously. His heart shook with betrayal. How could she? He should have realized it, should have known it was too good to be true. No one could love him for long, not without turning away. What he was… what he had done…  
 "Hey bub, come with me."  
 Before Scott could even react Logan had grabbed him and pulled him out of the cockpit. As they reached outside, Scott turned with a snarl.   
 "What do you think you're doing?"  
 His fists bunched. He gritted his teeth. He had to keep a hold on his rage. In front of him, Logan seemed to be doing the same thing. A meaty finger reached out and poked him in the chest.   
 "What…do… you… think… you… are… doing?" Each word punctuated with a poke. Scott stared down at the finger. 

 "What the hell are you talking about?"  
 Logan growled.   
 "You know damn well. What is it with you! Jeannie's hurting right now! Look, bub I know what you think you saw, but believe me, Jeannie had no part in it."

 Scott folded his arms in order that he not hit Logan. It would not help right now.   
 "I see. Is that all?" Scott bit out.  
 Logan took a deep breath and then let it out.   
 "Look bub, I warned you earlier. You hurt her, and I gut you. Right now it ain't yer fault, but if you leave things lying the way they are, it will. Right now I oughta gut myself, but it won't help at all. It'll just heal. I forced myself on Jean, I was hurtin, and didn' know where ta go. That's why I was trying ta talk earlier. I seen some things… ah, it don't matter. Right now, I gotta make things right, and ya gotta go talk to Jean. Don't judge her before ya know everything. Listen ta her… cause if ya don't… ya don't deserve her…"  
 Scott stared down at the man, and then pulled back a fist and smashed it into Logan's jaw. The feral staggered back, slamming against the bulkhead. He growled angrily, and then noticed Scott's face. There was hint of a smile there. Scott turned and walked off, heading for the infirmary. Logan slid down the wall and sat down, withdrawing his claws, which had popped out as soon as Scott had punched him. He smiled. Scott could punch, but it was next to useless against Logan, and Scott knew that. Logan just accepted it as a little punishment for what he did, and let it go at that. His smile fell however as he thought about what Scott might do now. If Jeannie was ever hurt again, Logan would kill. Too many women in his life had been hurt, Mariko, Carol, Natasha… many more. His only weak spot… Logan got up and walked into the cockpit. He had to forget this melancholy shit, and focus. There was a fight coming up. He figured he could channel his depression into battle, like he had done before. He smiled, anticipating action…   
  
  Scott walked up to the door, and it opened for him. Inside he could hear Jean and Ororo talking again, this time with Jean sitting in a chair, holding her head. He couldn't feel her, having blocked his side of the link. Ororo looked up, but Jean remained bowed. Ororo's eyes widened, and then she smiled inexplicably. With all the warmth she had shown him earlier, or lack thereof, he'd expected to be slammed into the walls, fried by lightning. Scott wondered how to talk to Jean. He wasn't good at this… he opened the link. Jean stiffened and then looked up. Her eyes were slightly red, but there were no tear streaks. Scott smiled inwardly. Brave Jean… she'd never cry. Jean sensed his smile, and lit up. Getting up she ran into him, burrowing her face into his shoulder.   
 "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"  
 Scott was taken aback, and he gingerly put his arms around her. She felt so right in his arms, perfect. Ororo had walked into the de-tox tank area, giving them some privacy.   
 "It's alright Jean… I was just shocked… I jumped to conclusions. You're compassionate, and Logan's a mutant you do feel strongly about. I should have trusted you to explain… still, it's over and done with."  
 Jean held on for another second, and then moved back.   
  "There's another thing… the other X-men are under attack by Holocaust and his army. We're heading for the place now. The X-men are heavily outnumbered, so get ready."  
 Jean paled, and then nodded. Scott turned around, heading for the cockpit. Behind him he heard Jean telling Ororo to get ready. Before leaving he turned.  
  "Jean, contact Shiro, tell him to be prepared."

 Scott turned around. They should be arriving any minute now. 

                                              x--------------------------------x

_   Rogue was standing by his door when he left the room. After not having seen her for nearly a week, he was ecstatic. He grabbed her by the waist and hoisted her in the air, whirling her about. It was then that he noticed that she was standing a bit stiffly. He apologized if his actions had hurt her, knowing that she had just been through a harrowing week, and that she may even be injured to some extent. Her mission, along with Quicksilver, Weapon X, Jean and Magneto had had some setbacks, but they had gotten through them, mostly thanks to Rogue and Magneto.   
 "What's wrong, chere?" Remy looked at her closely. She averted her eyes.   
 "Remy… ah, ah needed to talk to ya…" She faltered. Remy smiled encouragingly.  
 "Tell ol' Remy all 'bout it chere, he standin' right here."  
 Rogue bit her lip, and looked up, still not meeting his eyes. Remy cocked an eyebrow, his inner joy at seeing her, getting replaced by apprehension. Rogue was never like this, not unless she had bad news to deliver. Like when she had told him about Jubilee… damn… he still didn't like thinking about her. Another girl he had lost. His thoughts wandered for an instant to Belladonna, then guiltily moved away, turning back to the woman before him, the woman who had begun to occupy Bella's place in his heart.   
 "Remy, ah have control of my powers… Ah…"  
 Remy's eyes widened, and he spoke in a hushed whisper.  
 "Chere? Are you sure? You… how?" he looked wonderingly at her, not daring to touch her lest it was all a dream.   
 "It was during the battle.. Magneto fell, and ah had to use his powah's… but he was so neah death ah couldn't, not without killin him!" Rogue's eyes watered, and she was near hysterics. Remy reached for her, to soothe her, but she flinched away. He stepped back, hurt.   
 "Ah had to, othahwise we'd all die. Sammael an Exodus were there, along with hundreds of Infinites, an four Prelates; Cyclops, Havok, Unus and Emplate. We were getting bogged down, an ah had to… Ah… ah managed to focus, doing all that the Professah taught me, ah let go of everythin… an it worked. I could control it, draw in as much as I want, and not leech it all out…"  
 Remy was overjoyed. Hesitantly he reached out and touched Rogues hands, for once not encased in leather. She tried to move back, probably from some left over fear of hurting him, but Remy grabbed her. Her skin… the touch he had dreamed of for so long. He rubbed his thumb over her knuckles, her veins, feeling every individual miniscule wrinkle lovingly.   
 "Ah.. Rogue…chere…" He leaned in close, "Chere, I want, need to kiss you. It seems at times I've spent a lifetime lovin you, and wantin your touch so badly, I could…" he trailed off, leaning closer. Rogue's luminous green eyes met his, and Remy looked in, seeking out the loving glow her eyes had, inside, always when she looked at him. Her eyes fluttered, and she sighed, and her breath across his lips was electrifying._ _As their lips met, Remy shivered, not willing to press further, wanting to take his time. He knew his heart belonged to her a long time ago._ _Now, so did his soul.   
 Before he could draw her closer, deepen the kiss, she broke free, and backed away. Remy could see tears in her eyes. He could feel his own eyes tearing, but he had a dark suspicion Rogue was crying for a totally different reason.   
 "Ah… ah had to tell ya Remy. Ah had to let ya kiss me. I owed you one. Bu that was for the first an last time." Remy blinked. First and Last???  
 "Ah… ah don't love ya anymore Remy. Ah've found somebody else."  
 Remy's heart shattered into a hundred different pieces. Voices screamed in his head. He stood stock still, still relaxed, but his jaw was rigid. His mind reeled, his heart cried, his soul screamed.   
 "Chere…?" A nervous blubber.   
 Rogue flinched as he said the word, and she spoke again, looking at some point behind him, still not meeting his eyes. For some reason, that hurt almost as much as what she was going to say next.   
 "Ah'm sorry Remy. Ah know, it seems so cruel, especially after giving you what Ah know you've dreamed of for so long, for what ah dreamed of. But please understand… ah love E- someone else now. Ah'm sorry Remy, but when ah touched him, mah heart knew it."  
 Remy looked down, not trusting himself to speak anything. His emotions began spiraling around him, and he felt a desperate need to lash out, at something, anything. A hand touched his shoulder gently, and he looked up, straight into Rogue's eyes. Those beautiful green eyes, glistening with tears. A silent scream echoed in his soul, and as it did Rogue flinched harder. Maybe it was his empathy, or maybe it was looking at his eyes, which Remy could feel were burning redder than ever before.   
 "Why chere? Why tell me now? Why tempt me, and den take away the one t'ing I've ached for? Is it some sort of sick twisted game? Did I mean so little!" Remy looked away, and Rogue once again tried to touch him. At the skin to skin contact, Remy turned away. His eyes flashing worse than before.   
 "Don't!" Rogue backed away. Remy walked further away from her, kneeling his head against his arm, which was pressed against the wall. "Jus'… leave me."  
 He didn't look up, but he knew she was still there. Finally, after what seemed like eons she began moving away. She had only taken three steps before he spoke again.   
 "Who is it?"  
 Rogue stopped, and Remy heard her taking in a deep shuddering breath. He knew she was crying, knew she was hurting, and a small part of him bled with her hurt, knowing he was the source of her pain. But her betrayal had cut through him like nothing else, agony greater than anything he had ever experienced. The greater part of him was glad she was hurting, glad she was suffering for causing him this pain.   
 She spoke softly.   
 "Erik…Magneto." She then ran away, sobbing quietly.   
 Erik… Magneto. Erik… Magneto. His friend! The words had shocked Remy to his core. The two had always been close, but he had assumed it was because he was one of the people she had first met, who had saved her long ago. Magneto… his friend.   
 Remy owed him a lot. Before the X-men, Remy had been with Apocalypse. An Uber-leutnant, probably Prelate at some point in the future. Remy had known Sinister was there, but everyday Sinister had seemed to grow more and more untouchable. He had had almost no clearance, and no one saw an External other than the Prelates. Unless of course the Externals had some business, or a culling._ _There weren't too many of those now. The only External Remy had ever seen had been Sammael. He had been consumed by revenge, hoping only to get close enough to Sinister to hurt him, kill him. For a long time he had wasted in Apocalypse's ranks. Then one day, the X-men had come, and Magneto had faced him in single combat. He had made him the offer. Join the X-men, or die. Remy knew he was no match for Magneto, and had told him what he wanted. Magneto had talked to him, explained him that there was more to life than revenge. Remy had scoffed, and asked Magneto to leave him be, and  let him survive the battle. He was no enemy to the X-men, but to Sinister.   
 Magneto had caught him in a magnetic bubble and taken him to their ship, and they had left, with Remy protesting all the way. Once at the Institute, they had talked at length, along with Storm, another X-woman. Magneto had told him that the easiest way to get to Sinister was through the X-men, and Storm had been able to relate to him, due to their past of being under Apocalypse, joining the X-men, and finally letting go of her need to avenge her family's deaths. Then Remy had met Rogue. Magneto had arranged the meeting, knowing that Rogue, as a southerner would like southern company. Remy and Rogue had not hit it off immediately, but soon they had been close. Rogue, Stormy and Magneto. The three had been his closest friends. Now he only had Storm left.  
 Remy smashed a fist into the wall, letting loose a cry of bitterness.   
  
  _He awoke to a buzzing sensation in his head, and a foot planted in his stomach.   
 "Rise before the Master, cretin." A heavily built woman was hitting him using her armored toecaps on her boots. She had modified mechanic wings implanted in her back, and a helmet covered the top half of her face. A thin ponytail stuck out the back.   
 Remy wondered at her insult. Cretin. He had been called many things before, but not cretin.   
 "Remy…" He coughed at the pain of speaking, but continued anyway, "begs t' differ. He is not cretin."  
 The woman smiled and kicked him harder.   
 "Hold Vultura. If he's dead, we won't be able to question him." Havok. Remy looked around as the room finally came into focus. It was a room he had previously not been in. It was not too large, although it had a very high roof. Apocalypse stood at one end, his deaths head visage looking down at him impassively. Havok stood near by, his eyes glowing with pleasure. Right next to him was this… Vultura. A few feet away was Candra, also not bound, and wide awake, glaring daggers at Apocalypse. There was someone else in the room as well, the Shadow King, his presence floating ominously in a dark corner. A Madri was also near by to attend to Apocalypse.   
 "Question? To what purpose, high Prelate?"  
 Remy had never been this close to Apocalypse before, and the booming voice numbed him. A part of him raged as he realized he was very close to death, and that he had still not had his revenge. Revenge… years ago Magneto had robbed him of his chance to exact that revenge against those that had killed Belladonna. Then Rogue… he shook his head. It was all just memories, nothing mattered but that he had to survive this trial. Somehow… even if his chances seemed almost nil.   
 "He may know something of the X-men, Lord. I propose we torture him and make him reveal the plans of these X-men."  
 Apocalypse began to laugh.   
 "The X-men? I know their plans already Havok. They are already engaging Holocaust, and will either perish, or meet with me in battle soon enough. I am already prepared. I need nothing from this fool. Barring one thing." Apocalypse strode up to Remy.   
 Remy stared up into Apocalypses eyes, and had to force himself to meet the gaze. Apocalypse stared at him and then seemed to smile slightly.   
 "You do not show fear, a sure sign of the strong. You have infiltrated my Tower, inveigled yourself with one of my chief lieutenants, and no doubt caused some harm to me. However, you have also inadvertently managed to reveal traitors within my midst, and in some ways saved this world by helping stop a Shi'ar invasion. Speak now, rebel. Tell me what Deathbird spoke. What has she told you?"  
 Remy blinked once. Stopped an invasion? What was Apocalypse talking about?  
 "She tol' Remy nothin'. Jus' tried ta kill him. Remy takes dat sort of t'ing personally, and so he took matters into his own hands, an' killed her instead."  
 Apocalypses hand clamped down on his shoulder.   
  "You may be telling the truth. In any event it does not matter. Who else was with her?"  
 His hand bore down heavily on his shoulder, and Remy gritted his teeth against the pain.   
  "Jus' before Remy killed her, she was meetin' with your spymaster, Shaw."  
  Apocalypse let go, and Remy stumbled. Apocalypse turned around and walked towards the throne in the center of the room.   
 "You have done well Havok. I hand over command of the EMF to you. With the death of Sammael, there are none capable of handling that task. Perhaps you will soon attain the rank I had promised your traitorous brother. AS one of my chief lieutenants. There are but a few of those left."  
 Candra had watched the proceedings quietly until now. She finally spoke.  
  "Apocalypse!" He turned to regard her over his shoulder.   
 "What of me? What do you plan to do with me? I have done nothing wrong."  
 Remy could marvel at her sheer bravery. Although maybe it was desperation.  
 Apocalypse apparently liked her statement. He turned fully and smiled at her. There was no emotion in the smile. Only… a bare flicker of enjoyment.   
  "You have been loyal to me for a long time Candra. From the start you were among the most powerful, and strong willed of my lieutenants. You were a suitable aide in the past. I admire your will Candra. It is the only reason I kept you alive, even when it was obvious you and Sinister conspired together, and still do. No need to look so shocked, Candra. I know of your little meetings with him. I know of his little project. I felt it before. The child is powerful, true. He will be a suitable source of power for me."  
 Candra was ashen faced. Remy stared at her hard. She knew where Sinister was all along! All the time. He had suspected as much, but to be faced with the truth felt like a sucker punch to him. He could have avoided so much wasted time if he had not been so… lethargic. He cursed himself.   
 * Bella… forgive me… *  
 "I have been loyal, and am still! The only reason I have not told you of the rebel was because he was loyal to me! He was a pet to me."  
 Havok sneered at her.  
 "You routinely take your pets to bed, Candra?" Havok turned to Apocalypse, "she has fallen for the rebel, Lord. Who know what secrets she has revealed to him, and them?"  
  Apocalypse considered Candra, who scowled at Havok and turned back to Apocalypse.   
  "My Lord. I have proven my loyalty in the past. I merely took pleasure in the rebels body. I do not care for him in any other way. If you will, I will kill him myself."  
  Apocalypse shook his head.   
 "I think you have finally fallen prey to your passions Candra. I know you well. No… you will not kill him. You have failed me. You have become weak."  
 It was as though he had passed judgment. Candra blanched, and groveled before him. Remy was a bit surprised. A chain came down and snapped around his neck, as many others also restrained Candra.   
 "The rebel can destroy anything he touches. The chain will not damage us much, even if he were able to use it."  
 Remy smiled. That was it. Here was his chance to get away. Use his powers. They did not know of the improvements to his powers by Sinister.   
 Over here he was dead. Outside he may have a chance.   
 * All I do… I do for you Bella. Chere, I will join you once I have completed my task… *  
 Vultura had begun to walk towards him. He stared at her, feeling each molecule within her armor hum with potential energy. He began to charge it, feeling the power build. Vultura stopped as she felt her armor grow warmer. She looked down as saw the glow as it charged to a higher extent. Havok stared in shock, and Apocalypse turned in surprise. Vultura screamed just before Remy let the charge ignite, her cry getting cut off by the sound of the explosion. Havok fell back, reeling against the force unleashed.   
 "Well, well. It seems he has powers I was unaware of. I sense Sinister's hand in this. Vultura was my last Reaver. I suppose she was worthless with the rest of her compatriots dead." Apocalypse had begun walking forward as he spoke, and Remy had not stood still either. He charged his chain, and let it melt, instead of exploding.   
 He was free. Apocalypse was still close by however, and Havok was recovering.   
 "A futile effort, rebel. You will now die."  
 Remy saw death approaching as Apocalypse came forward. He sighed and turned towards Candra, presenting his back to Apocalypse. It was a risk, but one he had to take. He looked at Candra's chains, charging them to melting point, ignoring the footfalls getting closer behind him.   
 Candra was also free. Remy hoped his gamble had worked   
  "Hold Apocalypse. We'll stop you together!"  
 Candra came to stand beside Remy as they faced Apocalypse.   
  He considered them.   
 "You were never foolish before Candra. At least not to this extent. You are both strong. It is a pity your other weaknesses have blinded you to your own strengths."

 Candra gripped his hand once.   
  "We will die fighting love!"  
 Remy smiled at her, coldly.   
  "Yes, you will Candra."  
 He then turned and ran for the door, making it explode as he neared it. He heard Candra's cry of rage and betrayal. He smiled. His vengeance on her was complete.   
 Havok yelled something, but Remy heard nothing, so focused was he on the door in front. It burst open just as he reached it, and he felt heat at his back. Havok had missed. He ran forward, knocking down two Infinite guards. He looked back as he reached the corner.   
 Candra backed away from Apocalypse, as Havok looked back at Apocalypse and Candra.   
 "Your rebel lover has betrayed you Candra. I admire his plan. He used you as his tool. And you, in your weakness, were used as you have used so many others."  
  Remy could see the anguish in Candra from here, and his heart reveled in her pain. Apocalypse's hands gripped her neck, the neck he had kissed just that morning. Candra did not resist. Apocalypse's hands snapped her neck as easily as a child's. A dull numbness spread through Remy as he stared at Candra's body, falling down, her head smacking against the floor, bouncing, and then coming to rest, her eyes twisted in pain, agony and suffering. His heart claimed victory, his soul only watched. 

 A low blast brought him to his senses. Havok cursed his tearing eyes as he couldn't make out Remy through all the smoke that had risen from the door and the bodies of the now burning Infinites. Remy stared at his clenched fists, and at the dead Infinites. Had he done that?  
 He shook his head, and turned and ran. As soon as he reached a stairwell he focused his power straight down, causing explosions straight down. The power came to him faster now, the flow more easily. He had gained in it's use since Sinister had last met him. He considered Candra's words. 'Ironic'… he knew where to find Sinister.   
  
                                                   x-------------------------------------x

  Cyclops realized he had fallen into chaos the moment he landed on the ground. Sending Nightcrawler to aid those in the Hybrid had been a last moment inspiration. However, he was needed here on the ground as well. He aimed for Leland's legs, knowing that to be the easiest way to bring the gravity manipulating mutant down. His optic blast smashed into Leland's knees, with enough force to crush both knees. Leland fell to the ground with a hoarse cry of pain. As he fell Scanner turned, her eyes glittering with fury. She stopped dead as she noticed Cyclops.   
 "Give it up Rook, you're no match for me."  
 Before Scanner could move another step She was flung back and into the arms of Scarlet Witch, who had used her power to nullify Scanners. Before Scanner could try to fight Scarlet Witch's control, Quicksilver had punched her three times in quick succession. Scarlet Witch left her, and Scanner fell to the floor, her nose leaking blood. The entire ground around her suddenly burst open, and she was flung back, getting knocked unconscious.   
  "He's out." Cyclops picked up Leland's limp hand and then dropped it. He figured the pain had knocked him out.   
 Across the field of battle, Jean had begun clearing away the remaining Mutant Units, her twin attack of telepathy and telekinesis successfully impeding each unit from attacking her and Iceman. Iceman then used his power to freeze them in place, and then shatter them as they were held by Jean. He gave a quick thumbs up to Jean. The two turned their attention to Lumina who was smirking at them. Iceman looked above at the massive tube-like grid of energy that was descending upon them. Suddenly they felt themselves being pulled back. They looked down to see the very ground pulling them back.   
 Lumina's eyes widened as she saw Rumik standing there, utilizing her power to save Jean and Iceman. She snarled and her grid suddenly flared up again.   
 "Traitor! You'll pay for your treachery Helena!"  
 Rumik looked at her pityingly.   
  "Leave it Sylvia. Let go of your hatred. I was a fool for a long time. Don't be a fool."  
  Lumina's face darkened, and her grid began expanding faster.   
 Grimacing Rumik backed away. Lumina was almost invulnerable at this point. Rumik had only seen Lumina do something like this once before, and it had been when she killed her lovers murderer. Cyclops knew Rumik was close to Lumina, but she was closer to Psylocke. He wondered if she would kill Lumina. Any energy, even magnetic would just be absorbed by Lumina now. 

  
 Above, Magneto and Rogue were still having trouble with the Infinites. As many as they managed to kill, more just streamed out of the transport ship. Along with the deformities, he and Rogue had been forced to stand back to back, circling warily, trying to keep away Holocausts army. Even Magneto was getting pressed, with hundreds of Infinites firing at him, it was all he could do to keep a shield up and knock them disable them one at a time. His concern for the others was also hampering his concentration. Suddenly the Infinites to the extreme left of his vision began catching fire. He turned in some surprise and saw Sunfire floating in the air, his arms spewing forth a torrent of atomic flame. The Infinites 

turned to deal with the new threat, but Sunfire was already on a roll. The Infinites could not stand against the fiery energy, and every Infinites within range was instantly aflame. Magneto smiled as he saw the sudden surge of tide their way. With a booming sound he saw Storm electrocute dozens of deformities in one fell blow. With a blue nimbus surrounding her, and her eyes sparking electric blue, Magneto understood why she had once been regarded as a goddess.   
 "Greetings, Magneto. I hope were in time."  
 Magneto nodded.  
  "We were getting things done, sugah. This'll just make it easiah," rogue winked impishly at Storm. Storm smiled too, and then suddenly did a double take, her eyes losing their glow as she took in Rogue's stomach.   
 "Blessed nature! Your stomach Rogue! You mean…"  
  Rogue smiled, and Storm beamed.   
  "Ah gave birth to a son Ro."  
  Storm was so happy the weather began to change, becoming good again. Then Storm shook her head, and her eyes began to glow again. Rogue turned to see Holocausts ship releasing hundreds of figures.   
 "Damn…"  
 

  Blink was getting tired. No matter where she went, Holocaust managed to sense her and shoot his bio-nuclear blasts, almost destroying her a few times. She maneuvered closer to him, so that her high energy daggers could rip away his armor. She ported around, tryin to reach him. She finally managed to get close enough to slash at his armor, porting away a small part of it. Holocaust seemed startled and then his grinning deaths head smiled.   
 "Impressive girl… but you'll have to do better."  
 Before Blinks eyes his armor suddenly _grew_ back. As she stared in surprise his fist suddenly grabbed her around the waist, large enough to encompass it whole. She struggled in his grip and he threw her.   
 She ported frantically and managed to arrive a few feet away from Holocaust, who turned to her and punched her, as the momentum from his throw pushed her into his fist. She screamed in pain as she felt her ribs snap and break. Holocaust laughed as she smashed into some rubble and fell groaning, her mouth trickling blood. Her eyes wide with pain and fear she stared up at Holocaust approaching her. She tried to fight or ignore the pain as Mr. Creed had taught her, but it was too much, and she felt herself blacking out.   
 "NO!" The cry resounded through the air, and Blink looked up at Mr. Logan, Mr. Creed's friend, leaping for Holocaust. 

 Weapon X had seen Blink fight against Holocaust, and knew that Sabretooth must be down. He knew enough about his former enemy, and his ties to the girl to know that he wouldn't let her fight Holocaust on her own. He heard her cry in pain and gritted his teeth, letting it fuel his rage. He unleashed his claws and lunged at Holocausts back, the claws on his hand plunging into Holocausts armor, even as his feet kicked the back of Holocausts legs. The son of Apocalypse yelled in anger, and suddenly Weapon X found himself staring into Holocausts eyes. Holocaust turned with sudden fury and Weapon X was knocked down. He shook his head bemusedly. Not one of his smarter plans. Holocaust was not someone to take on one on one. He ducked Holocausts punch and sliced at his armor. Weapon X was faster and more agile, but whatever damage he did to holocaust, the armor he wore and was comprised of just mended itself within seconds, much like his own healing factor.   
 "Weapon X. Apocalypse would have chosen you for his Elite had you not chosen to side with the cripple Xavier. You are strong… but your weakness has overcome your strengths, and you must be purged from this world."  
 Weapon X's flesh crawled every time he heard holocaust talk. Holocausts voice was like himself, an empty shell, hoarse, yet vibrant. Inhuman. Weapon X roared with pain as Holocaust finally managed to hit him.   
 "Shut up ya overgrown thing." Weapon X turned towards Blink, and Sabretooth. The feral had dug his way out, and was kneeling next to Blink, his eyes gleaming with his anger. Weapon X smiled. Sabretooth roared and leapt at Holocaust, digging his claws deep into Holocausts armor, managing to find a handhold. Weapon X attacked form in front, slicing away at holocausts armor.   
 Holocaust pushed Weapon X away franticly, and reached behind him and grabbed Sabretooth. Sabretooth however would not let go. Finally with a great wrench holocaust pulled him off, and slammed Sabretooth into the ground. Holocausts armor was cracked in places, and some energy seemed to release from the crack.   
 "You will pay, bastard gene-trash."  
 His cannon hand began glowing.   
 

  Jean knew they were in trouble. Above them, Magneto, Rogue, Storm and Sunfire, arguably the strongest among them were facing off against nearly a thousand Infinites and deformed creatures. On the Hybrid, the mutant units were too close for the Hybrids defenses to engage them, and Colossus and Shadowcat had gone there as well in order to help Nightcrawler and Emma deal with them. Weapon X and Sabretooth were being beaten down by Holocaust. Cyclops, Rumik, Iceman, Psylocke, Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and herself faced off against Lumina, Mutant units and three Rooks, Domino, Damask and Fatale. With only Leland and Scanner down, the others were already pressing on them. Ordinarily this would be an easy battle for the X-men, but Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver were injured and fatigued form their earlier battle, and Iceman was also tiring rapidly. Psylocke was engaged with Damask, and Rumik was shifting the ground fast in order to keep Lumina's energy grid from getting close to them. Jean was holding back the mutant units, as Cyclops and Iceman took them down. Fatale was moving around as well, making sure that Quicksilver never got close enough, keeping him occupied with her dead aim, and Scarlet Witch was employing her own probability changing powers, coupled with her magical prowess to keep Domino off balance. However Domino's powers were latent, and it was only Scarlet Witch's hex bolts that kept Domino from reaching Scarlet Witch.   
 Jean flung the units back, and watched as one of them, a weak telekinetic tried to resist. Smiling she created a shield around her that she could not break and crushed her instantly. As she did so she telepathically managed to confuse another long enough for Cyclops to smash him down with a charged double axe handle smash from his gauntlets.   
  Suddenly she heard Sabretooth cry out in agonizing pain. She turned and saw Sabretooth falling to his knees, clutching his side. Smoke seeped through his fingers. Holocaust had scored a hit, and Sabretooth was faltering. Blink was still out, and Weapon X could not take on Holocaust alone.   
  "Iceman, help Weapon X."  
 Cyclops had also noticed it, and Iceman followed his orders without hesitating. He streaked down the field, his hands in front of him, letting loose a massive burst of freezing energy. Holocaust fell back, already beginning to freeze. However before he could be frozen, he let loose, his bio-nuclear blast burning away the ice in moments, and he fired at Iceman, who had already begun strafing aside.   
 Suddenly Jean could feel someone else approaching. She turned and looked to the east. A blur was speeding through the sky. With her telepathy primed, she could feel the psionic power radiating from it, as well as something deeper. Someone was coming.   
  
   Shadowcat and Colossus had set Sammael's ship on auto-pilot, and Shadowcat had phased herself and Colossus out of the ship directly above the Hybrid, as Nightcrawler teleported. Phasing through the Hybrid as well, she and Colossus had gone straight to the bridge. The pilots had everything in hand, and Know-it-all had begun targeting the mutant units attacking the Hybrid. However, they were getting too close even then, and Shadowcat calculated that some would still manage to get past the Hybrid's defenses.   
 "Colossus, head for the breaches made by Holocaust. The units will enter from there." He nodded, and took off. Shadowcat turned to Know-it-all. She had once been a student of Xavier's as well, however she had integrated herself with the technology at Xavier's house and later Wundagore. After the X-men had returned to Wundagore, after their defeat at Muir Isle, she had transferred to the Hybrid.   
  Shadowcat always felt a little ill at ease around her, knowing that she had once been human, or human-like at any rate.   
 "Know-it-all, what's the status?"

 "Colossus has reached a breach, and awaits any units approach. Emma frost and Nightcrawler are facing off against the units attacking them. One breach remains unguarded, but no units are close enough to enter using it."

 Shadowcat nodded, and turned to follow Colossus's path. She could see what was happening on the ground, and in the air. They were being beaten down on all fronts. Hopefully she, Emma, Nightcrawler and Colossus could hold the Hybrid.   
 

  Colossus had not expected any resistance from any mutant unit Know-it-all had missed. Two of them fell to his fists, but one managed to evade, and stretched his arms, grabbing him and managing to hurl him out of the breach. Moving faster than he had believed himself possible he latched onto the units leg armor and used his momentum to swing around. He smashed against the side of the Hybrid and lost his grip on the unit. His other hand immediately smashed into the armored hide of the Hybrid, managing to hold him in place. From above he heard Shadowcat cry out in alarm. Seconds later the unit came stumbling back, clutching his face. Colossus reached up and grabbed his leg, using the unit to boost himself up. He reverted to his normal form, and got a grip inside. He changed back and pulled the unit out, flinging him out of the Hybrid. He reverted again and Shadowcat helped him up. Two more mutant units barreled in then, and Shadowcat phased through him, kicking one into the other. They stumbled against the wall, and Colossus ripped out one wall and hurled it onto them. One of them ducked out of the way, but the other was smashed out of the Hybrid. The last Shadowcat phased through and then slit his throat using her small claws. She raised an eyebrow looking at the part of the wall he had ripped out, that had fallen to the floor. Colossus guessed her meaning and picked it up, ramming it into the breach, making a rudimentary sort of fixing, in order to keep any other unit out.   
 "Let's go to Emma and Nightcrawler. They probably have their hands full."

 They moved quickly, on the way passing Bishop. They stared at him.   
 "Who are you?" Colossus asked suspiciously.  
 The man raised his hands in front of him.  
  "My name is Bishop… you are different from what I remember Colossus and Shadowcat… I… I have no time to explain. Suffice it to say, I'm not your enemy, and I wish to fight those outside. I can help… Magnus will vouch for me, as will any other X-man on this ship."   
 Shadowcat was still wary, but she let him go. She had no time to waste.   
  


 Getting to the others was no problem, thought Shadowcat. In fact, they weren't really having any problems. Shadowcat and Colossus rounded the corner in time for a mutant to fly smack into Colossus. The unit fell, and her eyes widened in anger and frustration.   
 "Oh, good. You caught ze one zat got away."  
 Nightcrawler bamfed next to them, and then cleanly slit the units throat.   
 "Any problems here?"  
 Emma shook her head.  
 "No, that was the last of them. However, the others are having problems."  
 They rushed to the edge and looked down at the X-men. Holocaust had taken down Sabretooth and was advancing on Weapon X and Iceman who were backtracking. The mutant Bishop had reached the battlefield and was helping take down units. Something glinted in the sky. Shadowcat looked to the left. A man was flying in the air, watching the battle rage. He was too far away for her to make out his features, and a faint glow came from one of his eyes. Beside her Emma gasped.   
 "Sheer power… who is he?"

Shadowcat knew she referred to the man.   
 

                                                    x------------------------x

 Cyclops stared up at the sky. The man had arrived a few seconds ago, and now he watched. Cyclops burned with impatience and indecision. If only the mutant above would reveal who he was! He just watched. He seemed to be waiting. He wondered what it could be. He almost dismissed the mutant as being insane, for who but a deranged mutant would attempt to watch a raging battlefield. Holocaust had also noticed him.   
 "Who? A stripling of a mutant! Is this another of your X-men Magneto? Another whelp to fight against the might of Apocalypse?!"  
 Magneto could not hear him, but the boy seemed to stiffen, and then slowly turned towards Holocaust. Cyclops mind worked feverishly. Who was the kid? He seemed familiar, somehow. Holocaust settled the matter. He pointed upwards and launched the first salvo. The kid flinched and then the blast took him. Cyclops looked away. Whoever it was finished. He turned his attention back to the remaining units, when suddenly he froze.   
 "This whelp isn't finished yet, monster."  
 The boy was still alive. His eye still glowed with weird energy, and his hands also glowed with energy. Jean gasped next to him.   
 "The energy… it's telepathic!"  
 Cyclops was stunned. No one had ever survived a direct assault from Holocaust, not without at least looking singed, or injured. The kid still seemed as fresh as when he had arrived, though there was some blood on his clothes, which were also bedraggled.   
 Holocaust was stupefied.   
 "How… what…???"  
 The kid suddenly let loose, and a massive telekinetic wave surged through the ground knocking Holocaust back. Holocaust fell to the ground and looked up.   
 "I don't know what you are kid, but you're topping my list of people to kill."

 Holocaust leapt at him. The kid tried to get ready, but Holocaust knocked him down. Weapon X and Iceman ran to his aid, but the kid seemed able to handle himself. A thin beam of psionic energy slammed into Holocaust from his eye and Holocaust fell back again, stumbling.    
 "I am holocaust you sonofabitch, and I am the son of Apocalypse! I'll kill you!"  
 He let loose with another blast, but the kid blocked it, with a powerful shield. The effort seemed to cost him however, as he stumbled afterwards. His hands stopped glowing for a second.   
 "I don't care who you are. I killed another one of Apocalypse's lackeys, Sinister, and I will kill you!"  
 Cyclops stared at him, his senses reeling. Killed Sinister? This kid was powerful… very much so.  
 Holocaust also seemed to be considering him.   
 Then Holocaust laughed.  
  "Okay kid. Enough playing."  
 The kid nodded, and then ran at him. The two met explosively, punching and trying to get a hold on the other. Finally Holocaust gained the upper hand and hurled The kid away. The kid fell on his back, hard. Holocaust aimed at him, but Weapon X knocked into him form the side, and his aim went off, scorching the ground next to the kid. The kid rolled away and stood up, standing there, and wiping his bleeding mouth. Then he smiled grimly. A sudden stream of energy came out of his head and smashed into Holocaust, knocking him down. Holocaust put his head to the top of his armor.  
 "Arghh… who are you kid?"  
 The kid's smile widened. 

 "I'm Nate Grey, but to you, I'm the X-man who kicked your butt."  
 Another stream of energy came forth and Holocaust reeled. Finally he turned and motioned to his ship. Suddenly he began de-materializing.   
  "I'll see you later… kid."  
 Nate fired psionic blasts at him, but Holocaust was gone. The ship thundered to life, and then it blasted off. On the ground the Rooks and mutant units looked in dismay.   
 Cyclops turned to the kid, but he had fainted, Iceman supporting him. Suddenly he heard Lumina cry out in shock. Cyclops turned to see a large black mutant standing in front of Lumina, her grid being sucked in by him. His eyes widened behind his visor. Impossible! The mutant had absorbed the energy grid!  
  Glowing with energy the mutant pointed his fists at Lumina, and then let loose, releasing all the energy into a force beam that slammed into Lumina. Cyclops heard Lumina cry out in anger and pain. Then the beam diminished and Lumina crumpled to the ground. The mutant also fell to his knees. Then suddenly he aimed to his left and fired again, this time his beam slamming into Domino, who slammed into debris. Rumik immediately grabbed Damask with the debris around them, which molded itself around her legs, holding her fast. She looked down in horror, and then her eyes rolled up as Psylocke managed to infiltrate her defenses.   
 She sagged back and a trickle of blood fell from her nose. Without her shields Psylocke had probably terminated her easily.   
 Above them the Infinites were still firing at Magneto, Storm, Sunfire and Rogue, but their momentary panic when Holocaust left had cost them dearly. From the ground Iceman began shooting small ice daggers upwards, impaling Infinites. Cyclops stared in disgust at the deformities and begun shooting his blats at them.   
 Fatale realized she was on the losing side and panicked, turning to run away. Before she took a step, Quicksilver had punched her, sending her flying. Before she hit the ground Scarlet Witch tore up the ground with a powerful bolt, sending Fatale spinning. As she fell her face was tilted at an odd angle, her neck broken.   
 Cyclops shook his head as The Infinites and deformities above them dwindled. They had actually won, without any casualties.  
 

                                                  x--------------------------------x

 Remy moved quietly. His mind was functioning at a rapid pace, his senses more acute than normal. Adrenaline he supposed. A rush he hadn't felt for a long time. Even while fighting Deathbird, it had only been Belladonna that had made him kill her, even under Apocalypse's gaze Remy had thought only of Bella. _Rogue…_ Remy shook his head. He had also thought of Rogue; he had remembered the first time she had told him of her new found ability to control her powers. Of course it was to a limited extent. There was still much she could still not do. If she was unconscious her powers could slip, making her again dangerous to touch. Of course, the others had been overjoyed, especially Magnus. Erik… Remy shook his head. They had all betrayed him. Even his beautiful windrider. Stormy… his pet name for her. Ororo, the woman who had been like his sister. If only he had not been so platonic towards her, she would have been perfect for him. Beautiful, calm, with a generous and loving nature, yet with a fun loving streak. Ororo was also a thief, which made them colleagues in a way, and able to understand each other far better than others. Of course, Rogue had also understood him. So had Bella. So had Erik. Yet to a lesser extent. He thought of his team. Sarah… the young child who he had rescued, and who looked up to him as her elder brother. Gavin… young, hot tempered, naïve in many ways. Raven. She had never really been a part of the team. She had joined as a matter of convenience. Her heart had always lain in Avalon. Betsy, the fiery British woman. A former X-woman, and one who had joined with him. Although, now that he thought about it, Betsy had never been very friendly with the others. She had been his lover for a while, but it had not worked out. She had her friend though, Helena. Ororo… again, the leading member of his team, and the tactical brains behind his operation. While Remy led in name, Ororo led on the field. Much like the X-men, with Xavier leading from behind the scenes, while Erik led on the field.   
 Remy again shook his head. His team members were now dead. They too had betrayed him. They too had kept secrets from him. All of them. He clenched his fists. He had to calm down. He had stripped himself of this. He took a deep breath, and then let it out softly. He shook his head. A momentary aberration. He was fine. He sneaked along the passageways again. He knew where he was going. He picked his way the lower levels, where the prisoners were stored. Containment cells. He remembered coming through here, eager to rescue Betsy. That hadn't gone too well. They had rescued Betsy, but lost Jean, who they had later recovered in a mass assault, which they had also lost. It was there that he had faced Sinister and Candra again. He smiled slightly. Candra… he had avenged himself from her. Now only Sinister was left.   
 He was at a junction. He looked left and then right. No guards. He moved slowly. He remembered the last time he had snuck out of here, Nate Grey at his side. Heh… the kid had been damnably powerful. Sinister had created him… Remy wondered what had happened to the kid for a second and then put it out of his mind.   
 He was close now. The storage room was ahead. No guards again… this was sloppy. He heard movement to his right. He looked up and saw a camera. It was focusing another way, but would soon turn to him. He had a second, a window. He judged it, looking around carefully. Motion sensors were in place. Good enough. He could handle them. He moved quickly, and the at the last second before reaching the storage room wreckage he leaped, clearing any and all debris on the ground, landing a few feet away. He held his breath for a second. Nothing. Maybe he was just paranoid. A few feet ahead he saw the ladder that had once led down to the catacombs. Now it was a big hole in the ground, with rocks and mud all around. He was right. Sinister had access to the Tower. He was in the catacombs. He was in Bella's grotto. He smiled staring down at the boot prints. Sinister was his. He felt no anger that Sinister had once again desecrated Bella's grotto. Only a grim sense of coming around. Justice. A fitting end for Sinister to die in Bella's grotto.   
 

                                              x-------------------------------x

 Jean looked down at the young man lying on the bed. His brown hair fell across his forehead, a single white lock slightly apart from the rest, falling into his nose, making it twitch. Feeling a sudden tenderness she brushed it away. The boy was young, maybe a bit over half her age? He couldn't be out of his teens. How powerful was he? The psionic might he had unleashed in fighting against Holocaust had been more than impressive. No one had ever taken down Holocaust so conclusively. After Magneto had torn his body apart, he had returned in this form, stronger than before it seemed, with near invulnerability as well as armor that was an extension of his energy, shaping itself around him. This boy had defeated him, and if what he said was true, killed Sinister as well. Definitely someone to take notice of.   
 There was something else about him as well. Quite apart from the telepathy she sensed something else about him. His face was familiar, but there was something more. She resisted the urge to stroke his head. She shook her head. The boy brought out tender feelings in her, completely platonic, and she didn't know why.   
 "Hey, Jean. Didn' notice you come in here."  
 Jean looked up at Sean coming out of the other room he had been in. She smiled and hugged him. When she had learned of his grievous injuries fighting Plague she had been saddened. Sean had been a close friend for a long time. He moved back, and smiled at her.   
 "It's right fine to see ye Jeannie-girl. Now… how long've ye been back, an' what happened?" His face darkened, "Especially to Rogue?"  
 Jean smiled.   
 "Rogue is fine, Sean. She gave birth to a bouncing baby boy. Plague is dead, as is Death. We killed him in the Sea Wall. The Sea Wall is also down." Jean smiled as she said so, remembering Rogue and Erik's face when Rogue told her and the others about her pregnancy.   
 Sean smiled again.   
 "Excellent news, Jean. For a while I had given up hope that Rogue had survived. What happened at the Sea Wall?"

 Jean shook her head, "it's a long story Sean, and I'll tell you later. Now, if you're up to it, we should go to the meeting room. I was just supposed to place Nate here, making sure he's fine and then go to the meeting room. There's much to discuss."  
 Sean looked at the kid, "who is he?"

 Jean shook her head, "I don't know Sean. No one knows, he just appeared suddenly and helped us defeat Holocaust's army, taking the big man down himself."  
 Sean's eyebrows raised and he looked at Nate with some respect.   
 "Come on, let's go. I'll sign you out of the infirmary."  
 

  Magnus looked around the room at the assembled X-men. Despite some setbacks, everything had gone to plan. They had stopped the cullings, stopped Death from devastating the Human High Council, taken out the Sea Wall, and killed two more horsemen. Apocalypse was down to one horseman and his other lieutenants, Exodus, Candra and Holocaust. It was time to strike, hard and fast. He looked to the side at his wife Rogue. She gently touched his shoulder. His gaze swept across the room, seeing all of his X-men assembled. Even Creed, still walking a little gingerly from the injuries he had incurred fighting Holocaust. Blink stood by him, watching carefully, a hand held to her injured ribs. The de-tox tanks on Sammaels ship had come in handy for her, healing her marginally. Bones weren't mended so easily. Warren was much better, still not able to fly as well as before, but at least on par with him, Rogue, Storm or Sunfire. Even Sean was back, his injuries almost gone, his life energy returning to him slowly. Caution urged him to relax for a while, rest and recuperate. They didn't have time however. They needed to strike now, and quickly. He had said as much, receiving complete approval. All of them were primed right now. The next question was how. He pondered that, when Ororo broke the silence.   
  "Erik… we can still use the catacombs. There is still a way to enter the Tower form there, and if not, any blockades can be easily put down."  
 Magnus looked at her, an eyebrow raised, his sign to tell her to continue.  
  "We all know where they are, and any Infinites we meet can be easily dealt with, especially with the aid of both ships. Already our back-up pilots for this ship can handle it with ease, and it has excellent armaments. With the aid of this young man, Nate, we can easily break in."  
 Magnus nodded.   
 "Yes… it is a good plan… but can we trust the young man?"  
 Jean spoke up then, "Yes." The others looked at her in some surprise, including Scott.  
  "We can trust him… I don't know why, but we can. I can sense it…"  
 Magnus nodded.  
 "Your instinct proved to be correct before Jean," Magnus nodded at Scott, who acknowledged with a slight nod, "so we'll trust the young man… to a small extent. He is amazingly powerful, and we would be hard pressed to take him on as well as all of Apocalypse's armies."  
 Scott spoke then, "the containment cells are located right there. We can free the prisoners, who will run wild. The distraction should gain us some extra leverage."

 Magnus looked at him, "The prisoners will be killed… the guards won't hesitate to kill them."

  Scott nodded, "yes… but most of them will be pitiable souls, twisted so much by Dark Beast in his experimentation that killing them would be a mercy. I have seen it long enough. Without Sinister's restraining hand the Dark Beast would be free to do as he willed. Apocalypse had no care for any prisoners, and the externals only passing. Except Sinister. He believed they could be of some use."

 Magnus nodded again.  
 "I see… in that case you may be right. However we'll judge it when we get there. We are not cold blooded killers Cyclops."

 Jean looked at him in some annoyance and Magnus shook his head slightly, telling Jean with a simple look that he was not picking out Scott. He smiled inwardly. She could be damnably protective.   
 "Then it is decided. We travel immediately. We should be close to Bella's grotto in about an hour traveling on Sammaels ship. The Hybrid will remain out of range of the Towers more powerful sensors. Sammaels ship should not cause too much excitement unless it is seen by those who know Sammael is dead. Come X-men… we leave now. We'll divide into two teams once we get there."

 The X-men moved out, beginning to get ready for the final battle, the one they had been awaiting a long time.   
  


                                         x---------------------------x

  Remy stared down at the passageway that led to Bella's grotto. It was fairly dark, much darker than he had remembered. The coating on the walls wasn't glowing so much anymore. He looked at a rock, wondering whether to charge it to give light or not. If Sinister was down here, he would immediately sense it. On the other hand, without the light Remy was nearly blinded in the dark. Sinister wasn't. Remy had good reason to know of Sinister's abilities, and he was fairly certain that Sinister would know if he attempted an overt attack. He knew what he needed to do. For a second he felt rage strike him so swiftly he could barely hold it in. After so long, the moment of his revenge was nearly there.   
 He moved quickly, making certain not to make any noise. He knew these catacombs like the back of his hand, and while Sinister may have been here for some time, he did not know them quite as well. He moved back a bit, and headed into a tunnel to the right.   
  
                                             x-----------------------------x

 The teams had been split up as soon as they reached the grotto. One team was to stay behind, acting as reconnaissance in case of any mishap, while another would go first, as a scouting party. The scouting party was easy to determine. Anyone who knew the tunnels, as well as who would prove to be beneficial in the darkness. The team was spearheaded by Ororo and Rogue, the ones who knew the grotto best, following whom were Kurt, Kitty, Jean, Scott, Logan, Creed and Clarice. The others had remained behind, with Emma and Betsy keeping the teams in constant contact.   
 Scott moved warily through the deserted ruins of outer New Orleans. The wanton destruction had been partially caused by him. Of course, it had been necessary then, but Scott still felt guilty. He sighed softly. He kept his emotions shielded, making certain Jean didn't feel it. She'd just get annoyed. While at first she had been comforting when he had been self-pitying, now she was prone to smack him over the head. And not too lightly either. She had stayed close to him since the incident in the ship. He looked over at Logan. The two would never be friends, Scott knew that, but he respected the man, and felt for him in some ways. He had been swimming through a sea of grief and just needed some support. For Logan to ask for it would be more difficult than anything else. They were alike in that way he supposed. To have overcome that and actually set things straight between Scott and Jean was something that had markedly increased Scott's respect for him. Even so, they had too many issues between them. Scott had blown off his hand and in effect stolen his lover from him. Although Logan had given him grief as well, Scott knew that his debt to Logan was perhaps greater. He didn't particularly like that.   
 He shook his head. Plenty of time to gather wool later. Right now he needed to prepare himself for a conflict. Perhaps the biggest ever. He darted his head left and right. His visor gave him the ability to detect movement much faster and more clearly than anyone else, except perhaps Warren, Logan and Creed, although his eyesight worked just as well in the dark as well. Trajectories, distances, geometric space… judging things like that came easily to him.   
  They had stopped, and Scott saw Rogue by a building, doing something.   
  
                                     x-----------------------------------------x

 A myriad of emotions went through Rogue as she searched for the right brick. She remembered the first time Remy had brought her here. He had wanted to show her the final resting place of his one time love, Belladonna, and the woman who had shaped so much of his life. Rogue had been jealous originally, but once she had entered had been to amazed to be jealous. In the middle of all the death and nothingness, flourished life. Bella's grotto as Remy had called it was beautiful. At times Rogue wished she could have a tomb so beautiful. It had been peaceful. She wondered where Remy was now, if he was alive or still in Candra's clutches. She had told no one else that he might still be alive. She still loved him, although Magnus had claimed her heart as his own. She could sense Ororo's suffering behind her. She gripped her hand, and the African goddess gripped it tightly, given her a small smile. Remy had been a brother to Ororo, and Rogue hoped she would not break down. Ororo believed him dead, Rogue knew that. She didn't want to give Ororo false hope, and had not said a word about what she thought was true. That Remy was still alive, in Candra's hands… suffering.   
 The secret door opened, and Rogue turned her gaze to the room ahead of her. The X-men behind her gasped as they saw the room. Even those who had be here before were surprised. After the emptiness behind them, the grotto seemed a haven. Rogue entered, an immediately felt peace course through her. This was the outer part however. Bella's grave was further ahead.   
 "We gotta go further on. The entrance to the catacombs is in the next room, along with Bella's grave."

 Ororo nodded.   
"We must be careful however, once we reach the catacombs. There is not telling what security measures have been put in since the last time we attacked. Take your fill of peace here. You will not find a place so beautiful anywhere else in this world. And we must be prepared for the fight ahead. Once we reach the tunnels, we will contact the other team. The door will remain open now."  
 They stopped for a second, and then moved forward. Rogue looked at all of them, and saw Jean frowning. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Creed stiffen.   
 "There's something fishy about this place…"  
 Creed was almost growling, and the hackles at the back of his neck were raised. Surprisingly Logan didn't sense anything.   
 "You sure bub? I don't feel nothin."  
 Creed growled.   
 "There's something here…"  
 Rogue looked at Ororo, who shrugged.   
 "Let's jus' go on. We'll see what's up after we reach the tunnels. Let's jus' be prepared for anythin' though."

Ororo nodded. Rogue took a deep breath.   
 "Jean… you sense anything?"  
 Jean stared at the door, frowning, and then slowly shook her head.  
 "No… at least I don't think so. Something's wrong here. I'm not sure what… I'll need to concentrate fully on this…nothing… Just for an instant… I sensed something… something familiar."  
 Rogue shook her head in frustration.   
 "Let's just fohget it. All of us just betah be careful."  
 She walked to the door that led to Belladonna's burial chamber. She took a deep breath, and then opened the door.   
 The inside was the same as always. Even more beautiful than the outside area, a small pond… Rogue did a double take. The pond was dry. She looked around. The beauty only spread till a certain point. The area around Bella's grave was not as green as before. Dirt covered the angel, which lay on the ground a few feet away. The small hole and ladder leading down had been opened up, opened into a much larger hole, almost perfectly round. One wall which had been covered with moss and wines had been opened up, stairs leading down to the hole where the angel had been.   
 "By the goddess….."  
 Ororo rushed in staring around in shock and anger. The X-men who had been here before were also staring in consternation.   
 "Who? Who could have done this!"  
 Ororo's anger was almost palpable. A sudden humming turned them all towards the now dry pool. Something was coming.   
 Rogue could feel her heart beat louder.   
 She got into a ready stance. Behind her Ororo had taken to the air. The pool's bed… expanded, and then swirled to open up, a small layer of dirt and mud falling into the hole made. Rogue could see the semblance of a figure now. Black hair, falling down to the shoulders, chest covered in red armor, flickering tendrils hanging behind the powerful body. Glowing red eyes, with a ruby diamond inscribed in the forehead.   
 "Sinister!" The hatred in the word conveyed all that Rogue felt at the moment. Contempt, hatred, rage… overpowering fury. She clenched her fists.   
 The immaculate face smiled slightly. He spoke, a clear, resonant voice, spoken with a slight British accent, almost imperceptible. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Scott stare stupefied. 

"Welcome, X-men."

 "Ah don't know what all you've done here… but you're gonna die. For what you've done before, for what you did to Remy, for what you did here." Rogue was shivering with anger.   
 He smiled again. She heard a snarl and then Logan and Creed were streaking towards him, Kurt already bamfing above him. He couldn't face all of them.   
 As they fell on the figure, it flickered, and they fell into the mud, Kurt almost falling down into the hole.   
 "What?"  
 She heard footsteps behind her, and groaned softly. She had fallen for the oldest trick in the book.   
 "Pitiful… I expected something more clever. Especially from you Scott. I took great pains to train you all these years. Apparently it was all wasted."  
 They all turned to see him standing at the head of the stairs leading down into the hole where the angel's statue had once been.   
 A hologram….  
 Suddenly in whipping motions thin metallic arms sprang from the walls and grabbed them. They all tired to avoid it, Ororo taking flight, Rogue trying to power out, Kitty phasing, Logan and Creed slashing, Kurt and Clarice teleporting. Scott and Jean knocked the arms out of the air, but they were having no more success than the others. Slowly the arms pushed them together. Kurt managed to get free, but a well timed blast from Sinister knocked him flat.   
 "Don't be too hasty mister Wagner. Thing carefully, judge, and then act, calculating everything necessary before blindly using your powers."  
 Kitty phased out of the way of one and ran to Sinister, dropping to the ground, and phasing down just as a claw swiped at her. Logan and Creed also got free and attacked him. Sinister actually let them attack, standing there with the same sardonic smile on his face.   
 "Come now… surely genetic perfections such as you two will manage to defeat me?"  
 But no matter how much Logan and Creed slashed and clawed at him, Sinister's body actually gelled together faster than they could hurt him. Finally Sinister managed to knock Creed back, the larger mutant smacking into the wall with a grunt. Logan managed to evade Sinister for a few more minutes, but Sinister finally managed to knock him back as well.   
 Kitty emerged from behind him, but he was ready, suddenly merging backwards into the very air, emerging a few feet away. Kitty gaped, as Sinister sent a concussive blast her way as well, knocking her down.   
 Scott sent three blasts his way, but Sinister dodged them all, keeping a running commentary degrading them. Rogue snapped and smashed through another arm threatening to pin her down.   
 "Jean! Call Erik and the othah's!"  
 She flew at Sinister, knocking him back. Sinister sailed into the wall, hitting it with a smack, falling to the floor. Almost immediately however he was back up on his feet, almost flowing up. 

"I've tried Rogue! I can't get through!" Jean sounded extremely agitated.  
 Ororo sped for him, thunder in her eyes, but suddenly she was displaced, and ran headlong into a recovering Creed. Jean attempted to hold him in a telekinetic grip, but he seemed to shrug it off almost contemptuously. Rogue again flew at him, powering up another punch.   
Sinister again displaced himself, standing at the far end of the room from them. Right next to Clarice.   
 "Hello dear child… I hear you took on Holocaust. Very brave of you."  
 She stared up at him her eyes wide with fear. A sudden concussive shock and she flew across the room, falling to the floor in a heap. Rogue felt another bolt of anger shoot through her. Clarice was just a child… She heard Creed roaring.   
 Scott was trying to knock him down using his optic blasts, but Sinister was managing to evade each one, and those he couldn't move out of the way of… his body simply opened a space to allow the blast to pass through.   
 "I am not fond of repeating myself…but this effort is almost not worth my effort. It appears that neither Magnus nor Charles taught you how to use your surroundings, and your other abilities, your bare hands and natural skills, other than your mutant powers. Come, let us make this fight more interesting."  
 Suddenly hundreds of claws and arms came out of the walls and ceiling, weapons of all sorts aiming at them. Suddenly it was all the X-men could do to avoid the various armaments that were attacking them. Rogue hoped Erik was coming soon. If Sinister had any other tricks up his sleeve, things were looking bleak for them. In the extremely confined space Ororo could not use her powers to any great extent, and Rogue was hampered by the lack of space as well. Sinister was not as powerful as a horseman, but he was crafty, and he had been prepared for them. She gritted her teeth and fought on.   
  
                                              x---------------------------x

 At first Remy had not been able to believe his eyes. Then rage had overpowered everything. The grotto had been desecrated. Sinister had destroyed Bella's gravesite. Remy still remembered how he had searched for her body, and upon finding it had taken it to the one place he could be sure would be safe from anything else. It had been a place where he had been frequently. A small store, operated by the Guilds jointly, in order to provide a safe access to the catacombs below the sewers of New Orleans. He had ducked in, and sheltered with Bella's body for the few days that New Orleans had been overrun. After spending three interminable nights, nights filled with ghosts of his past, especially Bella, he had finally gone above to find New Orleans a massive graveyard. He had hid from any patrols, and scouted the area. He had converted an entire storeroom in the shop into a garden, burying Belladonna in it. He had found an angel, still marvelously unscathed and erected it above the grave.   
 Over the years he had tended the grotto, making it more and more beautiful, keeping the entrance to the catacombs hidden beneath the angel statue. Even later, while working as an Uber-leutnant, he had made sure to tend the grotto as much as he could. He had kept it in pristine condition. It had been his homage to Belladonna. His remembrance of her.   
 Seeing what Sinister had done to it struck Remy senseless with rage. His fists clenched in overwhelming fury. Around him he could feel the charge of several different objects. He had never felt as powerful in his life. Or as angry. Sinister would pay with pounds of blood before he was through.   
 He moved slowly and softly, making no noise. He wondered why Sinister had not sensed him yet. He looked around the laboratory carefully. Sinister seemed to have made himself at home. Remy smiled coldly. He would probably have not needed to go through the containment area. For this sort of equipment, Sinister would have needed direct access to his lab in the Tower. And there would have been a way to get from his lab to this place. He watched from his hiding place, wondering when Sinister would appear. The catacombs were right next to another of the thieves guilds personal tunnels, small winding, interconnected caves that led to different points in the catacombs. One of them led to a place directly below Bella's grotto, and another led to the grotto itself. However for some reason that one was now blocked with steel. Remy guessed that Sinister had made some changes to the walls of the grotto. Sweat dropped in front of his eyes, and Remy realized he had been in this position for over half an hour. He shifted his cramped muscles and decided to take another look at the grotto area. Maybe there was something he missed there.   
 He was only a few feet away form it when he realized something was going on. He could hear sounds of a battle. Rage again clouded his thoughts. A battle… ? It was bad enough that Sinister had desecrated the grotto, but now this!   
 Almost literally seeing red, Remy got ready to destroy the wall in front of him. The grotto was in bad enough shape. Then he heard a piercing cry of anger, and he froze. He knew that sound. Rogue. Sudden emotion welled up in his throat, but then he forced it down.   
 _First and last?  
 Ah… Ah don't love ya anymore.  Ah've found someone else_

 _Erik… Magneto.  
_He clenched his fist.   
 _She's pregnant.   
_His jaw tautened. He heard cries of alarm and anger, from the X-men, and Sinister's mocking commentary. Deliberately he turned his back on them. Let them weaken Sinister for him. Once they were dead, and Sinister thought himself victorious, he would strike. Finish him. Once and for all.

 A thought popped into his head.  
 * What then Remy? Once everyone is dead, what will you do? *  
 He shut the thought away, but it seemed the thought had now become a voice, endlessly needling him.  
 * What then, Remy? What will you do then? Once all your enemies are dead, once all those who you swore vengeance against are dead… what then? *  
 "Shut up!" He swore under his breath.   
 * And if I do… shut up I mean? Will you continue down this path? Killing, taking your revenge… it is a hollow prize Remy. You will never feel complete. *  
 "What d' you know? What's dere for me alive? De X-men… HA, they don' want no part of me. Dey've betrayed one time too many. My team? No'ting. I got no'ting. Just my revenge. A promise to Bella. An' no voice in my head gonna stop me."

 The voice seemed to shut up after that. Remy smiled and continued, heeding none of the shouts and anger swirling behind the steel wall. Once Sinister was done he'd kill him.   
  
                                   x-----------------------------------x

 Cyclops tugged ineffectually at the bonds that imprisoned him. Sinister had laid a trap for them, and all of them had been caught. Somehow Jean wasn't able to contact the others. Apparently Sinister was blocking her telepathically. Cyclops was surprised at that. A little. Sinister had never claimed to be telepathic. Then again, he hadn't always told Cyclops everything anyway. The only good thing was that Emma and Psylocke would have noticed, and would be coming, along with a sizeable part of the others, preferably the whole team.   
 Rogue had yelled insults at Sinister till she had gone hoarse. Storm had contented herself with giving him baleful looks. Sinister was watching the bodies of Nightcrawler and Shadowcat, musing on what to do with them apparently. None of his bonds would hold them. Cyclops was fairly certain he would kill them when he was done.   
 '_Scott?'_

Cyclops jerked slightly. Jean was contacting him? How?  
 '_Relax… I don't think he can block this easily. I can't attack him telepathically, and he seems to shrug off any telekinetic ones. Still, there's one thing I can do. Can you break free of your bonds?'  
_Scott shook his head.  
 _'If I had more power, maybe. But I'm at low levels right now.'_

Jean smiled suddenly.   
 _'And if I tweak them a little?'  
'That would work. But how?'_

_'Hush, and get ready.'  
_ Cyclops waited. Almost at once he felt a sudden surge in his power.   
 "What the-?"  
_ 'Now Scott! I can't keep this up forever. Free yourself!'  
_Cyclops found himself nearly reeling with power. He broke through his bonds easily, just as Sinister turned around in shock.   
 "Surprised father?"  
 He shot at Sinister, and a blast hit him on his side. Howling with agony he bent double. Cyclops was a bit surprised at the result, and smiled grimly.   
 "Where's your bluff now Sinister?"

 Sinister looked at him angrily. Cyclops shot again, using his gauntlets as well, but Sinister was prepared, dodging them and moving forward. Cyclops judged the fight in microseconds, still firing. He would have no chance against Sinister if he got close enough. Sinister was much stronger and faster than him, and probably as well trained. He wasn't giving him enough time to teleport or fire his own concussive blasts, but Sinister was dodging every blast, and the first one was already healing. He judged all this, and formulated a quick plan, that could very well end in disaster.   
 "I taught you well boy, but not well enough it seems. You got in a good first shot, but you've lost any advantage you had now, and I am far more powerful than you."  
 Cyclops backed away slowly, and then moved forward as well, still firing, but only from his visor, short bursts of energy that Sinister managed to dodge completely.   
 As he they closed, Cyclops swung with all his might. Sinister dodged the punch as well, and laughed. His hand reached out and grabbed Cyclops by the neck.   
 "A nice effort, but wasted. I must commend Ms. Grey on her initiative. It gives me no pleasure in doing this Scott."  
 His voice changed at the end, becoming more like that when he was young, more kindly, as well as becoming more regretful as well. It almost cost Cyclops, who hesitated. But apparently Sinister also hesitated. And the instant gave Cyclops enough time to recover.   
 "I do however, take pleasure in this Sinister."  
 the movements had taken very little time, and Cyclops let loose. His hands, now pointed behind him cleaved through Rogue and Creeds bonds, setting them free. Creed quickly set Clarice and Logan free, and then they used the Adamantium in their bodies and tore apart the bonds holding the rest.   
 Before Sinister could crush his larynx, Jean intervened, pulling Sinister's hand off Cyclops's neck.   
 "I won't let you kill him, Sinister."  
Sinister pushed off the attack, but he was distracted by the others heading for him. Sinister blinked once, and then Cyclops noticed small particles of light around him, and his tendril-cape flicker faster. Before Sinister could do anything, Cyclops grabbed his arms. Sinister looked down in surprise, and then both of them were enveloped in energy. Cyclops felt a thundering sound in his ears, and then a wrenching feeling in him. Then he fell to the ground, and felt a heavy boot strike him in the chest, and stumble over him. The grotto had disappeared, and he was in some dark cave. Sinister had stumbled over him, and even now moved to stand up. Cyclops barely had an instant to get up and orient himself to his new surroundings when Sinister began attacking him. Concussive blasts rained down on him, and he dodged frantically. Suddenly the blasts stopped, and Sinister waited for him to notice. Cyclops stood back a little, warily eyeing the room and Sinister. Something was up.  
 "This is no way to finish you, Scott. I will finish you with my bare hands. For your betrayal, and the damage you did to my plans. I always considered you to be my true son Scott. Alex was always too impulsive, always too rash. He was wasteful, and quick to act without thinking. In many ways you were so unalike that I wondered how you could be brothers. I will regret this, but it is a necessity now."  
 He began moving forward, and Cyclops shifted his stance, watching Sinister's movements, trying to anticipate his actions. He shouldn't have bothered. In the blink of an eye Sinister was upon him, and Cyclops desperately warded off his attacks; attacks that grew faster and more brutal, until Cyclops was reeling before the attack. A fist crashed into his stomach, another into his cheek, and he felt blood gathering in his mouth. A foot nearly crushed his ribs, and another fist numbed his shoulder.   
 Finally an uppercut sent Cyclops backwards into the wall of the cave.   
 "Put up some fight Cyclops. This is too easy…"  
 Cyclops gritted his teeth, and the coppery taste in his mouth suddenly spurred him on. He let loose suddenly, and his fist crashed into the side of Sinister's face. The face distorted, and the neck flowed back with the impact. Then it flowed back, and Sinister watched him impassively.   
 "A worthy effort. You are as tenacious as your son."  
 Cyclops was about to let loose again when Sinister spoke, and he froze.   
 "My what?"  
 Sinister chuckled.   
  "I did you very great favor Cyclops. I procreated for you and Miss Grey. Your son is a fine boy, getting on in his teen years. As I recall he gave me quite a beating as well, but not enough to kill me. I have a special reason for having made him. You see, he was the only being with enough power to take on Apocalypse, but only when trained properly, and when older. He already has a white lock on his forehead due to the stress he has been under. Premature, but not unexpected."  
 Cyclops still remained frozen.  
  "Nate? You mean… Nate! He's my son? Mine and Jean's… how?"  
 Sinister laughed.   
 "I thought it rather clever. Naming him after his grandfather."  
 Sudden rage coursed through Cyclops's veins. He remembered Jean telling him how she wanted kids, how she had once dreamed of having a child of her own. Cyclops had never thought about it before then, and had not given it much thought then, telling Jean that to bring a child into this world was madness. But now… now he thought of Jean, about having children, about how this… demon in front of him had used him.   
 With a cry borne of bitter anger and hatred he swung at the face before him. This time Sinister's neck didn't just flow back, but his entire body arced backwards, and he fell against the other wall. Cyclops gauntlet glowed angrily. He stood with little difficulty and stared at Sinister, the man he had respected and admired for most of his life. The last year had really opened his eyes. And he had Jean to thank for that. For what Sinister had done to him, and to Jean… he would die.   
 He moved forward, his gauntlets glowing. 

 Sinister stood, his eyes widening slightly in shock. Cyclops was surprised to see blood dripping from his nose.   
 "Surprisingly powerful."  
 Cyclops closed with him and swung again, but this time Sinister was ready, and he dodged the blow and struck himself, sending Cyclops staggering. His other hands reached out and grabbed at the tube connecting his left gauntlet to his visor and head. With a sudden pull the tube was ripped out of his gauntlet and head. With a cry of agony Cyclops fell to his knees. The pain in his head was intense, and his left arm burned.   
  "I gave this weapon to you Scott. It is time to take them away. The pain will be worse than when I first fitted them, and what I will do to you after that will make this seem pleasant."  
 His other hand grabbed at the other tube, but before he could get a grip Cyclops moved back, and shot at him with the last of his energy. Sinister grunted as he fell back again, this time the front of his body looking battered, and not remolding itself immediately as it had done so before.   
 Cyclops fell forward, his vision blurring and then blackening.   
  
                                               x-----------------------------------x

 Jean's eyes widened as she saw Cyclops grab Sinister, and then they both disappeared.   
 "What the hell? Where did they go?" Weapon X snarled.  
 Jean could feel Cyclops still. He was below them and to the right. She could find him easily.   
 "I know where he is. I can feel him. He's below us, probably somewhere in Sinister's inner sanctum."  
 She paused. Her telepathy was working fine again. She put her fingers to her head and sent a message to Magneto's team.  
 * Emma, this is Jean. *  
 Emma replied immediately.  
 * Jean! What happened? You disappeared for a while. Magneto was so worried he's taken us all towards the grotto. Psylocke is leading the way. What happened? *  
 Jean sighed. Well, she supposed the scouting team had done what was needed, and they could go in as a whole team.   
 * We ran into some trouble. Still having some. Sinister captured Cyclops, and we're going after them. We'll finish Sinister once and for all. Get here quick. *  
 Jean cut off the communication, and turned to Rogue.  
 "The others are coming. Let's go. We need to find Sinister and Scott. Scott is no match for Sinister one on one." With that she began running towards the steps leading down into Sinister's inner sanctum.   
  


                                        x----------------------------------x

 Remy watched as Sinister fought against Cyclops. He wondered how well Cyclops would fare against Sinister. So far Sinister had him running from concussive blasts. Then he stopped. Remy wondered what was going on. Was Sinister stopping out of affection? Candra had told him how the two had shared a father-son relationship. Then Sinister spoke, and Remy chuckled humorlessly. How stupid of him. Sinister wasn't the sentimental type. He watched as Sinister beat Cyclops till the ex- High Prelate fell against the wall. Sinister spoke again and Remy had to give Cyclops some points for his reply. However Sinister didn't seemed fazed by it. His reply completely stunned Cyclops. Remy could tell form the way Cyclops stood… as well as form the waves of shock that rolled off him. So… apparently Sinister had tracked down Nate. And it seemed the kid had actually beaten Sinister. Remy smiled a little at that. He had liked the boy. He was one of the few people in his life that had not betrayed him in some way or another. He shook his head. He had to keep his mind on the fight in front of him. He had to be ready for the right time to attack Sinister. Cyclops's next attack surprised not only Sinister but Remy as well. He had never seen that happen to Sinister before. Sinister stood with some difficulty, but less than Cyclops. Cyclops moved forward and attacked again, but Sinister dodged and then tore one of the tubes connecting one of his gauntlets to his head. Cyclops yelled with agony, and Remy winced. That had to hurt.   
  Again Remy found himself giving Cyclops points, if only for sheer stubbornness. Apparently the attack was a last-ditch type of maneuver, for Cyclops fell forward after it. Sinister stumbled back, and Remy could make out his whole face. He was bleeding. Remy had never seen that happen either, and he knew this was the time to attack. Before Sinister could do anything he moved forward, and launched himself into the air.   
 "Sinister!"  
 He yelled, letting his hatred pour out into the cry. As Sinister turned in surprise his foot connected with his shoulder. Sinister was knocked to the side, and he bit off an oath as he fell. Remy wasn't done yet, and he quickly pulled out small metal slivers he had secreted. 

 He charged them quickly and let loose, hitting Sinister in rapid succession. Sinister had no time to dodge.   
 "Sinister… f'r what you did t' Bella… t' me, and t' dis place… I'm going to kill you. I've waited t' kill you f'r a long time now."  
 Sinister's surprise changed to wicked delight.   
 "Ah… Lebeau. I was wondering if I would ever get my hands on you again."  
 Remy smiled as well.  
 "Non… I got mine on you, diable."  
 He grabbed Sinister and began charging. Sinister's eyes widened, and he pushed Remy away forcibly. Remy staggered back, but the deed was done, and he rubbed his finger together.   
 "No!" 

 Sinister barely had to time to cry out before a series of small explosions took place all over the front of his body. Remy shielded his eyes, and waited for the dust and smoke to clear. 

 Suddenly a hand came out, followed by a shoulder, and then the rest of Sinister's horribly mangled body appeared. His armor was almost completely gone, his tendril-cape flickering and fluttering as though possessed. His eyes were glowing blindingly red, and the diamond on his head even more so. His teeth were bared in a rictus of anger. His other hand sprang forward, and his fist caught Remy hard. He fell back, his body smashing against the wall. He felt a rib crack. Then Sinister was above him.   
 "You damned fool. Did you think you could defeat me?"  
 He grabbed Remy and lifted him in the air.   
 "I could crush you."  
 Remy smiled with some difficulty.   
 "Remy!" The horrified and shocked cry caused them both to turn.   
 Rogue stood there, standing behind Jean and Weapon X, and behind her was Storm, Sabretooth…? And another girl he didn't recognize.   
 "De gangs all here, Sinister…"  
 He sounded smug, but inside Remy was cursing the X-men. Sinister was his. They would ruin his plan.   
 * they'll be killed… do you want them to die? *  
 He replied to the voice again;  
 * I don' care. Let dem die. Dey only betrayed me… *

* So… Rogue betrayed you. Fine… but Ororo? What about Ro? Stormy? *  
 

 Unbidden images of Ororo sprung to mind, the way she laughed at a joke he had told her, the way she had always been loyal to him. No… she had betrayed him… no… she had been a good friend, a sister to him. The one woman he was always comfortable with. His only true family. And Rogue… He had loved her… with every fiber of his being. She had left him… hurt him… but at least she was happy. What right did he have to hurt her…? Precious few people found happiness in this world. She had a child now… A child that should have been his!!! No…. it didn't matter. The child was an innocent, and it needed its mother. He couldn't remember his own mother… had he ever known her? He remembered now the anguish of his younger years, and the joy at finally finding a family. He hadn't been trusted there either… and later… he hadn't been trusted in the X-men. No… he always kept the X-men at arms length. Did he like what he had become? Cold-blooded. Hard. A killer. Suddenly Remy saw Belladonna's face in front of him. Bella… her eyes seemed accusatory. Maybe she was the voice. Maybe this was what she had wanted all along. Had he really become like Sinister? He remembered manipulating Candra. Leaving her to die in Apocalypse's hands. She had been cruel, and hard, but not necessarily evil. And he had used her and betrayed her… just as he had been treated. Just as Sinister did. He had become Sinister. His glowing red eyes looked into Sinister's own glowing red eyes. No… no.  
 "No!"

He screamed in anger, and then spun out of Sinister's hands.   
 "Remy… goddess, you're alive!"  
 Ororo sounded so happy. He felt warmth speed through him. Sinister suddenly teleported, and stood a few feet away.   
 "I have had enough of you X-men."  
 Jean was already by Cyclops, tending to him. He could feel her worry and anguish. Her fear as she saw the tube lying by him. He could finish this. As an X-man.   
 "Gambit… how're you alive?"  
 He looked at Weapon X. The first time the mutant had not called him gumbo. Although he didn't mind the name, being called Gambit gave him a sense of belonging. He had been wrong.   
 * Bella… forgive me. *  
He ran forward.   
 "Dis way, X-men. Time to take down this bastard."  
Gambit soared, and he felt more powerful than he had ever felt before.   
 Behind him he could feel Rogue and Storm. Sabretooth's snarl, Weapon X's growl.   
 They all attacked Sinister.   
 The foul external fell back under the attack. Rogue and Storm dive bombed him, and he barely managed to block them, when Sabretooth and Weapon X began clawing and slashing him. With a great cry of anger, the most animal-like sound he had ever heard Sinister make, Sinister threw Weapon X and Sabretooth away from him. He grabbed Storm and Rogue out of the air and flung them away as well. His tendril-cape began moving even more agitatedly, literally whipping about. His diamond glowed so brightly Gambit had to shield his eyes. Then Gambit attacked, letting lose his power, throwing all the other pieces of metal he had collected. Sinister staggered, yet with each blow he seemed to get stronger. He wondered how he had ever thought he could fight him one on one.   
  


 "Bastard! For what you've done to Scott… to me… to the X-men…. But most especially to Scott, I'm going to make you suffer."  
 He turned to see Jean floating in the air above Cyclops. He eyes were also glowing with power, and Gambit felt awed for a moment. For an instant he thought he could make out a fiery bird behind her, but then the moment passed, and Jean raised her hands. He turned back to see Sinister enveloped in bands of pure power. They pulsed lavender and purple, and then fire seemed to envelop him, and Sinister screamed in anger and agony. Then he seemed to fly back and strike the cave wall, once, twice, thrice, again and again and again, until Jean finally left him.   
 Gambit was awed again. Could Sinister survive even this?  
  He heard a groan, and stepped back slightly. But even as he did, he knew hope. Sinister was bleeding freely now. He was close to defeat. 

 Sinister seemed to spin then, rising in the air, spinning around as his tendrils crackled with energy. A sudden wave of tesseract energy surrounded him, and then Gambit was falling. A blinding light pervaded his senses, and he felt numb for an instant.   
 He moved… that much he knew. He could still move. He got up slowly and painfully, noticing that the caves had changed. He could hear rumbles, and there were chasms all around him and Sinister, and near Cyclops and Jean as well. Storm and Rogue took to the air. Sabretooth protected the girl, and Weapon X covered the dazed Jean and the slowly regaining consciousness Cyclops.   
 "Merde…" his ribs hurt, and he was sure something was broken.   
 Sinister stood nearby, breathing heavily.   
 "You… all… curse you… for what you have done to … me…"  
 Sinister's eyes locked on Jean.   
 "You… witch…. Die!"  
 He raised his hands, but Gambit was already moving. Without second thought, he jumped and fell on Sinister, sending the blast away from Jean, and directly above them. Rocks fell on them, and created more chasms. He felt one smash into his arm, and felt it snap.   
 "Remy!" Rogue… ah love… he smiled. He knew what he must do. The entire place was falling apart. He knew the geography of these caves… they all lead lower and lower to an underground river, a river that fed the swamps apparently. The river was below them, he knew it. Already Sinister was moving, throwing him to the side. He hit the ground hard. In a daze he looked up. Rogue and Storm were heading his way, trying to dodge the falling rocks.   
 Sinister was trying to get up, but Gambit was above him. He threw him off, but then Rogue was there, and Storm, her hands crackling with electrical energy. Sinister flew back, as Rogue and Storm hit him in tandem. He smashed against the wall, and was buried beneath a ton of rocks.   
 "Merde…"  
 Rogue and Storm quickly carried him across, and laid him on the ground. Around them the rocks still fell. He could see Cyclops and Jean being helped by Weapon X, crossing the small rifts, making their way to the point they had entered from.   
 "Remy… you can't die."  
 He felt moisture on his face. Above him Rogue was crying. He moved his undamaged hand and wiped a tear form her cheek.   
 "Ah… don't cry Rogue. Remy's fine."  
 Storm hugged him.   
 "Oh…. Goddess. I thought you were dead…." She moved away and glared at him.   
 He sighed. He felt content.   
 Suddenly the rocks Sinister was beneath began shifting.   
 "No…." Cyclops sounded disbelieving. Gambit stood wearily.   
 "Oh well… it's time to take out de bastard permanently."  
 Rogue looked at him. Storm was looking at the rocks, and at the emerging form of Sinister.    
 "Remy?"   
 He smiled at her.   
 "Take care of yourself Roguey… yourself, your son, and Erik. He's a good man."  
 He turned to Stormy, and then kissed her.   
 "Be brave Stormy. This is necessary."  
 He shook his head. His mind had never felt this clear. He knew what must be done. The only way to kill Sinister was to destroy him utterly. And he was good at that. He knew what had to be done. He began to run towards Sinister, who had completely emerged form the rocks, and was turning towards them, his form again glowing with energy. Gambit smiled, and then he jumped.   
 Behind him he could hear the cries of Storm and Rogue. He used his empathy to send out a wave of love, and then focused on Sinister. He crashed into him, and as they fell back, Gambit pulled all the energy around him, and began charging it.   
 "What… are you insane! What are you doing???" Sinister was too stunned to do anything. His surprise cost him.   
 "Dis is for Bella…. For the X-men… and for me. I swore years ago, and I've kept my promise… but I'm not like you Sinister. I'm dying happy."  
 Then he let himself become one with the flow of energy. All the potential energy around him began glowing instantly, and then he himself began glowing. He grabbed Sinister, and pushed off the ledge, into one of the gaping holes. He heard Rogue cry out, and Storm scream in despair, and then he heard Sinister's angry bellow, tinged with fear… and acceptance?   
 The world around him suddenly ceased to exist, and he felt indescribable pain churn through his very being, and then he was drifting.   
 Just before everything went dark, he saw Belladonna's face, and not the one that had haunted his dreams, not her agonized expression as she died, but a face that shown with love, her hair gently falling around her face, her eyes glowing with laughter.   
 * Belle… my angel. *  
  
                     ========================================

So… it's all over for Mr. Gambit. How'd the whole war for his soul and humanity thingy go? If it could use work, don't hesitate to tell me. This chapter was also one of the reasons I began writing this story. I had Gambit's death planned out from the very beginning. Sorry for you ppl who really really like Gambit (like me), but I figured this was the best way for him to go. And hey, he gets among the best deaths.   
  
 Still, there is more to come. Next: the final battle, against War, holocaust, Exodus, the remaining Prelates, the towers forces, and the big man finally gets some action. Apocalypse in action next! See how the mighty Apocalypse of this world compares with the others (who were pretty weak in my opinion… they should have been more powerful.) Plus, the reason for this world., and the real background behind it! A tie in to AoA, and the 616 universe.   
  
 All that and more, next time. Keep those reviews coming, and I hope you're enjoying reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. 


	11. My Immortal: Part I: Fields of Innocence

Hmmm, well I suppose, I should follow my beta-er's advice. He's told me that I absolutely should cut down on the chapter size for my last chapter. . . Given that it's hitting the 50,000 mark, I suppose he's got a point.

So I'm going to post it up in parts.

Although expect there to be over 15K plus words per part.

Again sorry for the delay, I'm writing as fast as I can.

Explanation for delay:

My PC got fried. . . lost everything. This is actually a re-write of the original finale chapteroo. . . Oh well. . . I'm back on track after a year. . .

Hopes you peoples don'ts minds. . .

And thank my Beta-er for finally getting me to post up this bit. . . :p

X

**My Immortal:  
**

**  
** 2 MONTHS AGO

Irene sat, her head bowed, shrouded under her cowl. Raven watched her worriedly. It had been two months since they had left Avalon, all hope of salvaging it form the fires of the Beast lost. Irene had been fine in Avalon, taking part in the overseeing of the rescue efforts almost zealously. Now. . . after they had left she had sunk into a form of melancholy, and despite all her efforts, Raven was unable to snap her out of it. The others had adjusted fine to life on the 'Sanctuary', the transport ship of Avalon. Raven had once piloted it, long ago, when she and Irene had first tried to find a shelter for the masses wanting escape from Apocalypse's reign of terror. A professional thief and a seer. . . they had been an odd couple. But Irene had loved her, and believed in her. That was perhaps the greatest reason that Raven had decided to abandon the search for a have and try to strike at Apocalypse. Which had led to an argument and her and Irene, amicably, parting ways. Even then Irene had been composed and calm. Now. . . now Raven was worried. Irene had not even spoken more than two words since they had left Avalon. Even Marko and Back Tom were getting antsy about her behavior. Then again, they did keep mostly to themselves.

Raven sighed and walked to one of the control panels in the room. Irene's room. She ate, and she slept, but other than that, you wouldn't imagine Irene still lived. Luckily the ship was large enough to carry everyone in Avalon, and with the supplies they had managed to save form Avalon, and gather form the savage land they could survive for another month at the least. However their fuel supplies were slowly, but inexorably finishing. The problem was in finding a place to stop. The America's were out of the question as was Eurasia. Raven had pondered whether the X-men were a viable option, but Irene had spoken once on that.

One of the two times she had spoken.

She had said a single word. . . "No." And refused to comment further. Raven had to assume that Irene had seen a vision. Or maybe she was just skeptical about how safe the X-men could be after the fight in Avalon. Raven didn't know. All she knew was that they had no place to go, and limited fuel. Morale was falling. . . and Raven could only do so much to keep everyone's spirits up. She was more used to being harsh, but that would backfire here. . . and her being nice didn't help all that much, mostly because she was almost a stranger. The people knew Irene, and they needed her wise and reassuring presence to keep them going as well.

Raven as just glad no fighting had broken out. So far. . .

She shook off her black mood and gazed down at the water far below. The last rays of the setting sun had washed them ablaze, and the waves sparkled fire. It seemed so peaceful down there. . . Raven sighed. She knew it was a false façade. . . The massive wars, the energy released. . . it had completely destroyed the worlds ecosystem. . . the oceans looked calm now, but the next second they could reach typhoon levels. . . and the minute after be calm again. . . Especially this close to Africa. . . Apocalypse's home continent had taken the worst pounding as the worlds forces sought to destroy his base of operations. . . that is till he had simply moved to New York and crushed the armies in Africa. Then he had bombed the continent till it became a flat radioactive wasteland.

Raven looked up, her eyes flashing. . . Irene had foreseen impending doom, and had tried to warn her, but Raven had not heeded her well enough. . . not nearly enough. . . Though they were parted for a long time, Raven had met her again; years later, when as a mercenary she had heard of the wonderful Avalon. . . and then Irene had come to her. Raven looked at her, tears in her eyes. This Irene was a mockery of the old, a shadow. Irene must have known of this, how could she not! She was a seer. . . Raven had asked herself this many times. . . as well as Irene. . . but each time Irene had not spoken anything.

"Irene!" Raven snapped at her, for what seemed like the hundredth time. As before Irene only turned toward her, her lightless eyes seeming to gaze at her, although Raven knew that was impossible.

"Irene, please talk to me! Do not shut me out at a time like this! You-"

She broke off suddenly. Irene was trembling. Ravens eyes widened. While Irene did have visions, they came mostly in the form of dreams she remembered, but sometimes. . . sometimes they hit her like an epileptic attack. Like now. . .

Irene suddenly flung her head back, and her eyes watered tears. Raven ran to her side, and grabbed her shaking hands, to make sure she didn't hurt herself. Irene's mouth opened in a soundless 'O'. Something was wrong. . . something . . ..

Suddenly the tremors stopped, and Irene fell back into Raven's waiting arms.

"Raven. . . Raven. . .. So much. . ." Irene broke off. Raven slowly smoothed her hair back, pulling her cowl down all the way, and shaping it into a pillow of sorts on her arm. She laid Irene's head back.

"What is it?" Raven whispered. She didn't show it, but she was scared.

"So much death and destruction Raven. . . so much. . . I have seen doom Raven. . . doomsday itself. And it is all because of one mut- . . . no, one monster. Calling him mutant is too simple. . ."

Raven held her, as Irene shivered, this time from fear. Irene normally did not show fear or any other emotion. . . but now. . . now she visibly trembled with apprehension and horror.

"One other thing. . . we are about to have company."

Ravens eye's widened. Company? An attack!

"Do not worry about any defense Raven. . . it will be futile. . .. As of now."

As she finished speaking alarms like klaxons suddenly rang out. Ravens eyes widened even further. She could not just sit here! But she was loathe to move, with Irene in a delicate shape. And she had told Raven it was useless. . .

Suddenly a salvo struck the ship, and it shuddered, and then the lights went out.

x-----------------------------------------x

Present

They stumbled out of the caverns, coughing from all the dust that had risen as a result of the explosion. Scott could barely concentrate, so severe were his injuries. It had only been a few minutes, yet it seemed like hours. He was still suspended in Jeans telekinetic embrace, still held as carefully as a baby. Logan walked close, his claws still unsheathed. Nearby Creed walked by Clarice, protecting her from any danger. The girl was very impressive. She had a degree of control Scott had seldom seen in one so young. Then again she had had a fairly stable upbringing, and it was only until she had joined them that she had learnt the true meaning of destruction and death. A pity to have ones innocence torn away.

Beyond them were Rogue and Ororo, each being supported and in turn supporting the other. Scott understood their pain. To lose a loved one. . . he had come close enough to it to completely understand how they felt.

Rogue clutched at Ororo's shoulder armor crushing it, her eyes glazed open, yet not really watching where she was going. They had half stumbled, half flown out of the cavern. Rogue had not wanted to leave. It felt as though a part of her had been left behind in the cavern. . . Rogue had always believed it to be a cliché. . . till now. Remy. . .. tears burned hot in her eyes, falling freely down her face. Rogue could remember Erik telling her. . . never to let anyone see any weakness, as a leader should be strong at a time like this. . . Rogue did not know why she remembered that, but at the moment she could not care less. . . it was like numbness had begun to slither around her body, keeping her from the rest of the world. She was barely registering the windrider next to her, cocooned in a world of pain and loss. Remy. . .

She could hear Ororo, she kept saying something. . . Rogue strained to make it out.

"Oh Goddess. . . why him. . . why my brother. . . the only one. . ."

Why him. . .? She burned inside, and yet she was cold. Freezing cold, and fire. She felt a hollow replace the place her heart had once been.

The last few minutes kept on replaying in her mind. Sinister's surprise attack. . . the fight, Cyclops tackling Sinister and teleporting away. . . then. . . then finding them again, with Cyclops down and Remy there. . . Remy. . . fighting Sinister. . . he had been surprised to see them. At first it had seemed as though he was almost annoyed at their presence. . . then the final battle. The desperate and unholy power Sinister had brought to bear on them. Their combined assault to keep him down. . . she remembered feeling almost helpless. He kept on falling and kept on rising. . . and Remy. . . Remy had been hurt badly. They had saved him, they should have left at that point. . . and then Remy had soared over everything. Over chasms and rocks, and directly onto Sinister. Even in her fear then Rogue had felt the cushion of Remy's love, and then it had gone, leaving only fear and a growing certainty. And then he had jumped off. . . and then everything had gone white. . . and then nothing.

Nothing. . .

Rogue jerked her head back, her eyes dry now; she had no more tears left to give. . . Remy had taken them all already. She was clutching at the ground now, dirt and grass crunching between her fingers. . . She could hear running footsteps now. She could feel Erik's presence nearby. Hear the shouting. She was numb to it all.

Numb. . . to everything now. . . maybe forever.

A hand on her shoulder, a finger at her chin. She looked up into Erik's grey blue eyes.

"Rogue. . . I'm sorry." She felt herself rising and then being pulled into his arms. Her own arms went around his neck and she buried her face in his chest. They were moving, but she didn't care. Not anymore. . . not now. . . She couldn't care right now.

x------------------------------x

It was a while later, and Alex had returned to his room. His room. . . sparse and spare at first glance, it was later that one noted the plush-ness of the white leather that decorated every seating surface of his room. Even the walls were covered with the white leather, padding his room, and giving a sterile, yet comfortable feel to his room. Alex had let one of the decorators furnish his room. Three decorators later he had quarters that were suitable to his taste. His inner bedroom itself was wood paneled however. More prudent to have it that way, considering the complete loss of control Lorna sometimes suffered during some of their wilder nights. He walked to the outer walls, pressing a button that slid open part of the wall to the view outside.

A view of power.

He muttered a voice command, just audible enough for the atmosphere control mechanism in his room to detect. He wanted it to be a bit darker. The lights dimmed, leaving only low level white light shining in specific corners of the room. He walked to the corner and stripped off his ceremonial armor. . . which was beginning to look worn after the day's events. He stripped till he was dressed only in the comfortable undersuit. It did not provide much in the way or protection, but it was sufficient to take the edge of most physical attacks form baseline human. . . flatscans. He sighed and returned to contemplating the world outside his rooms.

He was so close. . . power. . . everything he had ever wanted was so close to his grasp. All he had to do was reach out, unhesitatingly and assuredly, yet with the proper care. Cyclops. . . he still burned with rage from when Apocalypse had compared him to his brother earlier. He pressed a fist to the smooth transparent glass like sheet in front of him. He needed a drink.

"So. . ."

Alex turned, clenching his fist in reflex, ready to blow the head off of whoever had intruded into his private quarters.

He relaxed as he saw it was Lorna. . . relaxed a little. He still remembered her determined and angry look earlier.

"What is it? I'm not in a good mood right now."

Lorna walked in, a bit of a swagger in her step, but her jaw was a bit tight, and there was a little crease in her forehead. So. . . she was still pissed. But so was he. After the debacle with Lebeau and Candra. . . he was lucky Apocalypse had not killed him.

He still remembered the awful moment when Lebeau had left Candra to die. Alex had marveled at the sheer cruelty of the maneuver. The traitor had played them well. Apocalypse had broken Candra's neck and then turned to him. He who was still chasing after Lebeau. He had tried to find him, but with no luck. The bastard had escaped, gone into the lower levels, which he had known better than any other man or mutant still alive. Alex had sent search parties and other sorties after him, but to no avail. They could not find him. They could find no trace of him ever having gone there. Alex had returned to Apocalypse in trepidation. Upon his entry he had found Apocalypse still in the same position he had been when Alex left, staring down at Candra's corpse. Alex had wondered for a while whether Apocalypse had even moved. Then he had looked up, his clear eyes cutting into Alex's very soul.

"He was strong. I did not think he would be. The way he manipulated Candra was exquisitely done. And he has more power than I imagined. I fear Sinister did manage to succeed in some of his plans. A pity. I had plans for Candra. . . Now. . . now she will have to be put to. . . other uses."

Apocalypse stared down at her body again. Alex fidgeted as Apocalypse continued to stare downwards. Other than slight movements of his head, the giant had barely moved since Alex had returned. Alex was about to ask whether he was free to go when Apocalypse had looked up again.

"However. . . you. . . you have shown to me that you are inefficient and weak. Should I let you live High Prelate? What use are you to me if you are not strong enough!" Apocalypse had then moved, turning his body away from Candra's corpse and facing Alex fully. Alex had frozen, unable to speak or move, fearful that his life was over.

"I. . . I was taken off guard my liege. I did not expect his sudden surge in power. He had never shown that much power before."

Apocalypse had considered him for another few minutes.

"You are never prepared for any unexpected behavior and you are too confident that everything will go as you have foreseen it. Your brother would not have made this mistake. Your fault was not in letting him escape but in not taking more precautions."

At the mention of his brother Alex had seen red.

"How can you compare him to me? I at least am loyal!"

He had regretted his sudden outburst. He had never raised his voice to Apocalypse before. Very few people had. And one in his position did not. However he had seen Apocalypse smile slightly.

"It is of no concern. He is of no concern. You are braver than I thought High Prelate. We shall see very soon whether you are fit to wear your brother's mantle."

Alex had survived failure. However he doubted that he would ever survive another one. And the thought of his brother had put him in a dark mood.

"Oh, but I am lover. I'm in a VERY good mood. After all, why wouldn't I be?"

Alex frowned slightly. What was she on about? She couldn't know anything.

"Stop playing guessing games Lorna. What the hell are you talking about?"

Lorna pouted, but her eyes were hard, and cold.

"What I'm talking about is that lately, my lover hasn't been around much to keep me company. IN fact he seems to spend all of his time with his subordinates. Why Alex? Why the hell have you been ignoring me? Lately all we do is fuck. And that too not as much as we once did."

Alex stared at her for a few seconds, trying to think of something to say. . .

"It's obvious Lorna! Now that I'm High Prelate I have a hell of a lot more duties, especially with half our command force gone. Candra, Sammael, Sinister - and the rest of them, the old Arch-Prelate, Quja - they're all dead. And a lot of the brunt has fallen on us, even though Apocalypse has stepped in to take the reigns of command. In the face of all this, you ask me why I've been 'unavailable' lately. I have duties, Lorna. . . as do you."

Lorna stared at him. Alex felt elated. A fine speech. He was getting better at this.   
Lorna cocked her head to the side.

"A fine speech lover. . . but I know you. I've known you my whole life. You're angry. And you're trying to bluff your way out of a predicament. There's something you're not telling me Alex. I've waited for you to tell me, but now. . . now I'm going to go with my instincts."

Lorna had spoken so calmly that Alex wasn't sure whether she was simply stating a fact, or actually felt something about what she said. Alex raised an eyebrow.

"You sound quite. . . passionate. . .!" Alex broke of what he was saying as he noticed her nostrils flare slightly. Lorna only did that when she was in the throes of passion or. . .  
Invisible bands that seemed to be made of pure Adamantium gripped him. He could feel the resonance of the energy in the air around him.

"What the hell are you doing? Let me go Lorna!" Alex's fury knew no bounds. He struggled, but Lorna held him as easily as a baby. A leg of his solid steel table broke off, streaking through the air. Alex watched with wide uncomprehending eyes as it flew through the air towards him.

"NO. . ."

The steel leg tore through his padded suit, catching in the material. The other three legs broke off suddenly and flew towards him. Each imbedded itself in his undersuit, and then Lorna clenched her fist again. Immediately his undersuit was torn off, leaving him only in his undergarments.

"I swear Lorna; I'll kill you for this." He didn't understand what was going on. Was Lorna trying to kill him? In his condition right now, she would be able to do so. Unless he. . .

A massive surge of energy erupted form Alex, disrupting the magnetic influence Lorna was exerting over the molecules around him.

"Now bitch. . . tell me what you want!" Alex stood slowly. He had to be careful. . . his power was at low levels, and the sun wouldn't come out to recharge him for another good six hours. If it came down to a confrontation between him and Lorna, it could not be prolonged.

"I want to see."

With that Lorna suddenly flew up into the air, and landed behind him. Before Alex could turn Lorna snarled. He spun around and saw Lorna flex her fingers.

"I'm going to find out who gave you those marks Alex. . . I know I didn't. I marked you elsewhere during our last 'session' and these marks are recent. As recent as today perhaps. . . hmm? We haven't; slept together for a few days now. You betrayed me Alex. And I'm going to find out with whom."

Alex stared at her incredulously. Shit. . . she had figured it out. . . but Alex could still. . .

Suddenly Apocalypse's voice boomed form all around them.

"Report to my War Room immediately!"

Alex stumbled, and Lorna looked up at the ceiling, in the approximate direction of the war room.

"You got lucky this time Alex. But after our master is done talking, we're going to talk again. I would advise you to conserve your energy. You'll need it."

At any other time, that statement would have promised wild animal sex. . . this time. . . this time it promised something completely different. Alex turned his back on the departing figure of his one time love, trying to figure out how to salvage his relationship. He had put too much time into this to have it all broken by his crazed lust. . .

x-----------------x

The walls reverberated with his every step. Exodus was not sure whether he liked that. Of course, sometimes it was enjoyable, the way the sound made others turn, and then fall to their knee's without his having to say a word. Such was his presence. Then again, he had tired of these games a long time ago. What he had once found pleasure in was now simply nothing more than a mildly amusing pastime, and sometimes not even that. He supposed it was a failing of their race, the Externals. . . the fact that as time grew by, their morality crumbled. After all, when society's values had changed so much, what was the point in keeping any values at all? Why not simply give in to the most primal of desires. Of course, if he _had _done that, he wouldn't have been here now. No, he had mastered discipline a long time ago. A few hundred years ago in fact. And it had been due to his masters shaping of him. For that Exodus had felt he owed Apocalypse something. As far as he was concerned though, what he owed was long paid. Now, now he was simply currying power, after all, when immortal, one had all the time in the world. Besides, he had some other interests as well. His prime concern was to survive this latest aberration of Apocalypse. Perhaps the X-men would be defeated this time. The last time Apocalypse had taken a direct hand in matters, the X-men had been sent packing.

Of course, Apocalypse had suffered some wounds too, but nothing too serious. And he had given over control to his main lieutenants. The Externals. . . and Holocaust and Rasputin, though those two were never in the same league. Power-wise maybe, but they did not have the intelligence to function as anything more than lackeys, powerful hounds to send at the front of the armies. This latest debacle was a prime example of that.

Holocaust should have been able to crush the X-men, especially since they had been divided. Exodus did have to give him credit though. Holocaust had survived where many had not. Much of his brethren had not. The renegades, Archanfel, Sammael. They had all fallen before the X-men. Of all the Externals, only he, Sinister and Candra remained. And Sinister was believed dead by everyone else. He knew better. He had worked alongside Sinister for long enough to know he and Candra were playing some sort of game.

The vast doors opened at his approach, the telepathic scanners recognizing him. He stopped as he noticed that the War-chamber was nearly full. Apocalypse was there, standing by his throne, his hands clasped behind his back. Holocaust stood before him, his regenerating armor still molding itself to heal him fully. He must have been hurt badly to still be healing. The prelates all stood at attention, the High Prelate standing in front of them. Hmm. . . that was surprising. No Arch Prelate. Their forces had dwindled. The Dark Beast was there too. Surprisingly, for once Shaw was not here. Exodus made another telepathic sweep, just to make sure. Very surprising.

But what really bothered him was that Candra was not here yet. Perhaps she was still with that pet of hers. . .

"Welcome Exodus. We were only waiting on you."

Exodus looked at Apocalypse in surprise. Then what of Candra. . .?

"I am displeased with what has been happening. My horsemen fall, and even the simplest of attacks fail. You have all shown yourselves to be weak! And the X-men must be readying themselves for an assault! At this rate you will all fall before them? Have I trained and given you rank just for your failures! You all were to be of the strong. Instead I find that you are nearly unfit to survive. I grow sick and tired of failure upon failure. With Candra dead, and even Sinister finally dying, I am left with only two lieutenants on the battlefield. The storm approaches, and only those who survive it will be fit to lead. . ."

Exodus tuned out Apocalypse. . . he was sprouting more of his propaganda. The fittest will survive. An honorable motto to live by. But Apocalypse had made everyone live by it. So. . . Candra and Sinister were dead. So he was the last of them. The last External. It was a strange feeling. Suddenly what Apocalypse was saying registered.

". . .but I was not completely taken by surprise. After all, with the future by my side, how could I fail? In many ways this has gleaned the wheat from the chaff. The lesser of my servants were found unfit by nature. And so I am left with those who have survived. . . barely. You seem surprised, puzzled. Know that I have the future by my side!"

What was the madman saying? Exodus looked to where Apocalypse had pointed. Behind his throne. The Shadow King? He could not mean. . . Exodus's eyes widened.

Bound by wires and chains hung an old woman, her robe in tatters. Her eyes were open, and eerie light shone behind them, natural or brought about by the alien apparatus she was chained to? Exodus didn't know. What he did know was that the woman was completely exhausted and her life was ebbing away slowly, but surely. He also knew that the woman was the one known as Destiny. Apocalypse finally had her. So this is what he meant by the future.

"The future is ever changing, but what is truth is the past. And with the past, will the future become clear."

What the hell was Apocalypse talking about? Exodus was beginning to realize that there was another surprise in store for them.

As Apocalypse spoke, the other side of the area behind his throne came to life. Another figure stood there, except he was not bound or shackled. At first Exodus was not even sure whether the figure was alive or not. For the figure seemed to be made entirely of stone. A large ruby hung on the stone turban on his head. The only thing that served to show he was alive was that he had a hammer and chisel in his hands, and he was constantly carving. The entire wall behind the throne now moved, and Exodus was an entire wall covered in carvings, that stretched from the top to the bottom. He understood. Five millennia of history was recorded in those walls, and perhaps in other walls, for despite its vastness, the wall wasn't large enough to cover that much of time.

And Exodus understood that Apocalypse could not lose.

"For some time now I have had the other key, the future that comes in the shape of the blind seeress. Even as we speak, the X-men make ready for war. And even as we speak, the human sheep are being destroyed. My Sea Wall has done its job well."

Exodus stared at the living statue, as it carved a hieroglyph of destruction.

x-----------------------------------------x

To say he had been hurt was an understatement. He had felt like his body had been set aflame, after being beaten to a bloody pulp. Which was essentially what had happened. Not one of his smarter moves, taking on Sinister one on one. Of course, he _had _been hurt. Thanks to the de-tox tanks available in Sammael's ship, he felt much better. They had been removed and set up in the larger infirmary in the Hybrid. Three tanks. Two of them had already been used once each. Only a few more times of usage left. The tanks needed re-filling after every three uses. And the major battle hadn't even begun yet. Then again, it was unlikely anyone would be using the tanks. Or the Hybrid for that matter. It made a lot more sense to use Sammael's ship. The hybrid was too large, and had too many mutants and humans in it. It would show immediately. Better to use Sammael's ship. Much better.

Scott gingerly flexed his arms. They felt better now. Although his left would be weaker for a while. He was the only occupant of the infirmary at this time. Well, he supposed an attendant would be somewhere nearby, but with a three story infirmary it stood to reason that there would be someone around. And with the amount of people on board it was likely that someone was in one of the lower sections, not on the third floor, intensive care area he was. Scott wondered where Jean was. Their link told him she was nearby, but not her precise location. She was worried, as well as a bit sad. The loss of a friend. Scott had not known Remy Lebeau. The only thing he knew was that Sinister had been interested in him. Oh he knew all sorts of details about him, such as his fighting style, known operations, and a small biography of him, but Gambit had never been a big enemy for Scott. The X-men Scott had known well. But that was a time long past.

Scott stood and ran his hand over the tube attached to his right gauntlet. Only one left now. Sinister had torn the other one off. It felt strange. He had gotten used to them. Strange that, getting used to something that didn't even allow him a decent night's sleep. Well, stranger things had happened to him. . . especially over the last year.

He sighed and moved away from the bed he had been lying in. He looked down at himself. He was wearing a bodysuit, that was a standard grey color. The right sleeve had been chopped off to make allowance for his gauntlet. He looked around the infirmary. It was a pretty standard looking place. Sterile, white, cold. . . he wondered how a warm and happy person like Cecilia had ever lived in an infirmary without becoming like it, cold and empty. He wondered how Cecilia was. He felt a stab of guilt. He had not thought of her for a long time now. And she had been like an elder sister to him. Giving him care when he needed it. He hoped he could rescue her in the coming conflict. And Alex. . . he didn't want to fight Alex. But Alex was always headstrong, always jealous. He would relish the chance to face Scott in combat. Maybe he could convince him to leave with him.

He climbed down the stairs leading to the 2nd level. He stopped as he noticed the young boy who had fought Holocaust. The boy named Nate. His. . . son. His and Jeans. In a way it seemed right. And yet. . . he had never imagined a family before, yet now that one had suddenly been thrust upon him. . . he wanted to have gotten to know them. He wanted to have raised a son. It was frightening but Scott could see himself in the boy. In the shape of his jaw, the hair. Strange that premature white streak. A lot like Rogue's. Maybe. . . no. . . no that was silly. He wasn't related to Rogue.

He moved his hand and brushed the boy's hair back from his forehead.

He began to move when he sensed her coming. He stopped, and waited.

Scott? He smiled.

I'm awake Jean. . . I'm here with Nate. She did not know yet. And he had to tell her.

He heard the patter of footsteps, and then he saw her coming up the stairs, her face happy, and the link sang with her joy.

"Are you alright, Scott? How do you feel?"

Scott could feel her worry; both from her tone, and from their link.

"I'm fine Jean."

Scott grimaced as she hugged him hard, and then drew back and kissed him. He kissed her back for a few seconds, enjoying the feeling, and then moved away, pressing a finger against her lips.

"Wait Jean. . . this can wait, there's something more important I have to tell you."

Jean looked at him searchingly, and a bit hungrily.

"What is it Scott? Are you sure you're not hurt?" Scott shook his head in exasperation.

"I'm fine Jean. Just fine. What's more important is him." He indicated the boy.

Jean looked at Nate.

"What's wrong with him? Is he alright?"

Scott could sense the worry in her. He wondered if, at some primitive level, she knew.

"Jean. . . down in the caverns, with Sinister. . ." He faltered not knowing how to say this.

Jean leaned forward concerned. Then she pushed him till he sat on the bed next to Nate's and floated a chair to her.

"Don't exert yourself Scott. Take your time. What did he say to you?" Her voice was laced with concern and love, as well as with a hint of steel. . . protective steel.

"It wasn't so much what he said, but rather what he revealed." Scott hesitated again, and then decided to blurt it out.

"Jean. . . Nate. . . Nate was an experiment of Sinister's. He used DNA samples of a male and female mutant to create an ultimate mutant, one with enough power to take on Apocalypse. Nate was that mutant."

Jean looked at the boy pityingly.

"Poor child. It's no wonder he's so bitter and caustic." She looked up at Scott. "That's not all is it? He looks familiar. . . do we know his 'parents'?"

Scott sighed.

"We do as a matter of fact. Sinister used our DNA to create him. He's our son Jean."

For a few seconds Jean stared at Scott unblinkingly. Scott stared back, waiting for some sort of reaction. Then Jean's face contorted in rage.

"That lousy sonofabitch! Bastard! How could he. . . I'll ki-. . . I'll. . . if I had known when he was alive. . . if. . ." Jean stopped speaking, but through the link Scott could feel her rage, her fury, and her. . . extreme feeling of loss? The last was overpowering now. Jean looked up, her face streaked with tears.

"For so long I've wanted a family Scott. A child of my own. Someone to love, to care for. He took it from me Scott! He took it away!"

Scott reached out instinctively and grasped Jean, holding her close. He didn't feel as strongly as Jean about it, but the loss was in him too. And through the link, it had grown even stronger. Sinister's last act of cruelty. . . one which burnt more, hurt more than any other.

x----------------------------x

If Victor Von Doom had one wish, just one to be anywhere else, to be anyone else, it was at the moment when he dispatched the signal for the extreme risk alarm. ERA. . . it was only to be used in two situations. In the case of an attack by enemy forces, or in the case of impending doom. He still didn't know what good the second condition did. It always seemed a little vague to him.

It had all started when he had gotten up early in the morning as was his custom, and begin his early exercises. He had just finished, when the call came through from Watch command. They had noticed some sort of anomaly. He had immediately gone to his command post, located in the same building of course, and asked to be put through to Truro, High Watch command. Although Watch command had been earlier based in Limerik and Dublin, with the wiping out of Ireland in one of Apocalypse's later assaults, Watch command had been shifted to Truro. Watch chief GW Bridge showed up on screen. Bridge was a good man. He had been with the Council for a long time. Von Doom had personally appointed him as head of the Watch.

"We've picked up an anomaly sir. It's coming form where the Sea Wall is. It's generally impossible to get any proper reading out of that region anyway due to the storms that keep whipping up, but lately, as I reported, there were extremely high energy readings coming form there. Only very high powered mutants could show energy signatures that high. However, there were no disturbances. . . till now. We still can't pick up anything of much use sir, but I think you should see this. It came up a few minutes after I called you."

GW Bridge's face disappeared, and a large view screen came up on the monitor. Von Doom stared at it. It was among many he had seen before, of the eastern coast of Ireland, standing tall and proud, yet with not a single inhabitant, rising forlornly out of the mists, and spray.

"What is it?" Von Doom couldn't see anything and he was getting irritated.

"Just wait sir. Watch for the signal lights."

The signal lights? The Council had installed several of them after Kelly's death. The west coast was filled with them. They allowed energy readings to be taken much beyond what Truro was capable of. He could see them, shining in the mists, a little dim. Everything seemed fine. The reel stopped.

"What happened?" Von Doom could not for the life of him see any anomaly.

"I'll play it again sir, pay close attention to the lights."

Von Doom trusted Bridge; otherwise anyone else would have gotten short shrift from him, especially this early in the morning.

He could see it again, the lights were all there. Wait a minute, one of them was winking on and . . . no, it was the fog, growing thicker, and then dissipating. Wait. . . the light was definitely off now. A malfunction?

"It's happened before hasn't it, Bridge? Why was this so important?"

Bridge's voice came over the comm. Again, not rushed, not hurried, but as patient as always, but with an undertone of excitement. This time there were energy readings on the side of the screen as well. They fluctuated slightly, but not much. There was the winking again. Suddenly the readings increased dramatically, and then the light went out, for good. Von Doom stared, his eyes widening slightly.

"Sir? Should I send a maintenance team, or. . .?"

Von Doom spoke finally.

"No. . . not a maintenance team. This is not good." He had a foreboding in his heart then, and knew dread.

"Bridge. . . order one of the sentinel parties scouting the region to investigate that area, immediately."

Bridge had replied in the affirmative. The sentinels had gone. The view screen had shown them, flying into the region. Then the energy levels had shot up again, and the sentinels had disappeared into the mist. Hailing them did no good. There was no response. A few minutes later, the entire eastern escarpment of Ireland had given way to a sight that would be ingrained in Von Dooms mind forever. The massive monolithic structure of a mighty and terrifying Sea Wall had broken through, thin red beam shooting out from each side of it, fading into the distance on either side. It carved a deadly swathe before it, and the sea had grown increasingly frenzied. In moments it had crossed the distance to fill the view screen. Another energy spike and then the camera had gone dead. High Watch was silent. The entire command room was silent. Von Doom had stood slowly, and turned towards the side of them room. He slid open the glass and steel protective casing, and entered the code for the ERA. And then he had sat down, and begun issuing orders. Orders to begin evacuation procedures, and to inform the Council that the Sea Wall had been expanded.

Orders he had hoped fervently he would never have to give.

He thought to himself now, a few minutes later. This was not the life he had imagined for himself. Serving others. He had intended to use his vast intellect to create a haven in Latveria. A haven with him at the helm. A way to finally prove his superiority over his one time best friend. Reed. . . Von Doom missed him sometimes. No one had kept him on his toes as much as Reed. He owed Reed and Ben Grimm his life. And he owed Apocalypse a debt for destroying his homeland. Apocalypse and his foul minions who had destroyed most of Eastern Europe and central Asia in the titanic battle against Earths heroes. Heroes that had been defeated, destroyed in the maelstrom created there.

However one good thing had come of it all. Sue. Reed's former girlfriend. He had promised to take care of him and her brother. A promise to Reed. He had kept that promise. He owed reed that much. Now. . . now he did not know what to do. Doom was upon them. With a name like his, he shouldn't be apprehensive of that fact, but he was. The people he had to keep safe were in dire peril. It was good he had taken action. With the way the Council had been recently, they would not have been able to make a decision till all of Eurasia lay in blackened ruins.

Von Doom stood. It was time. He had to get to his flagship, the _Iron Doom. _From there, he would begin retaliatory and evacuation measures. He headed for his personal quarters. He would break the news to Sue himself. Then he would ensure she got passage on an evacuation ship. Then he would change into his uniform. And finally he was going to activate all the Prime Sentinels. With his fleet and them, they should be able to hold back the Sea Wall for a good few hours. He would wait at Oxford for them. A fitting place. One of the seats of learning. A good place to die.

x--------------------x

Moira Trask. . . a name she had taken for her own. Moira was her birth name. Trask her chosen name. A name given to her when she had married the powerful and brilliant man, Dr. Bolivar Trask. Together they had created the Sentinels. A creation that had succored and protected their race. However, Moira had always known it would come to this. . . one day. She wondered for a few minutes if this attack was a sign that the X-men had failed. To her surprise, she found she didn't much care. To her, the X-men had been one man, Charles Xavier. With his death at the hands of the treacherous Prelate Cyclops, she had lost her only link to them. She had broken off all fleeting contacts with them when Cyclops had been accepted by them. Her teeth gritted together. Even if it was not all a ploy by Apocalypse, or Cyclops. . . she didn't care. The X-men meant nothing to her anymore. The fact had been proven clearly enough when she had stood aside when Von Doom had attempted to impede their progress in following Death to the Sea Wall.

It was irrelevant anyway. It didn't matter anymore. Right now all that mattered was her duty. To humans. To her kind. To her people. The ones who depended on her. Von Dooms alarm had come through to her, and she couldn't help wondering if they should not have been more prepared. Already there was little chance of even half evacuation by the time the Sea Wall's arrived. Truro was already gone, destroyed by the horrific power of the Sea Wall. Moira had received no final word, but the count she had last received posted fourteen dead, and seventeen critically wounded. Which effectively meant 31 dead. There would be no time to give them proper medical care.

Moira walked out of her room, wondering as to how she could best serve her people at this time.

Perhaps by listening to Von Doom. The man had presented them with a sort of coup d'tat, taking over power from the Council. Although she was of the Council, she didn't mind. . . much. Von Doom clearly knew what he was doing, and he had Susan Storms full approval, as well as Fisk's. which meant that three of the effective Council, four if Johnny had gotten over his rage over the Prime Sentinel incident. She could feel Mariko walking beside her, like a shadow, keeping just behind her. Her own personal protector. . .

Moira joined the rest of the council in the large hangar reserved for them specifically. The special ones. For a few minutes she felt guilty at being given a better chance of living. Then she thought that the people needed a leader, and. . . well she wanted to live. Their transport cruiser was smaller than the humongous transport and evacuation meta-craft that were being used to transport people out of London, and other places all over Eurasia. The hub was always London though. The place where almost a quarter of the entire human population resided. Twenty two million people. Give or take a hundred thousand or so. The exact count was configured in every computerized equipment in London. A necessary precaution, just in case of any loss of hardware. Failsafes had been input, Failsafes that would disallow even the most gifted hacker to break into the system.

Of course, it was useless information to anyone not interested in census figures and facts.

Mary Jane greeted her, her smile dimmed by the fear in her eyes. She looked around at the faces of her co-workers and compatriots for most of her life. Brian Braddock, Wilson Fisk, Jonathan Storm, Mary Jane Fisk, Valerie Cooper. Other faces, less precious, less important. The core of the Council stood before her. Apart from Brian Braddock, she was the most influential member of the Council, and after the recent fiasco with Death. . . well, Brian had sunk into the shadows. A pity. Before Deaths taking over him, he had been an intelligent and well rounded man. A man who knew how to decide and what to do. A powerful enough force to counter Von Dooms sometimes overly militant actions. However this time. . . this time she was in agreement with von Doom, and she knew Brian was as well.

Voices came from behind her and then Susan Storm and Victor Von Doom were there as well. Commander GW Bridge followed Von Doom. Bridge. A sensible man with a silly name. Moira had always liked him. A man of action like Von Doom, but who was far less Machiavellian in nature. Von Doom made Machiavelli himself seem like a liberal. Sue and Von Doom had been arguing. Moira had a fair idea what about. She turned and was about to speak, when finally Von Doom made a chopping motion with his hand, and turned away. Sue stood there, her head bowed, arms crossed. Johnny walked over to her. He hesitated near her, and then put a hand on her shoulder. Moira tried to edge closer and make out what they were saying, but she only caught the words 'Reed' and 'lose'.

Moira was puzzled, but figured it was a private matter. Meanwhile Von Doom was speaking.

"I am sorry to have taken power for you so abruptly. However it was necessary. As I speak the _Iron Doom_ is readying itself for assault. Our three main battleships, along with the _Iron Doom_ are ready for the assault. They will take the brunt of the fire, and attempt to hold the Sea Wall back. I will be straight with you ladies and gentlemen. I do not expect the crew of the battleships to survive. Our fleet is also taking flight as I speak. Some of them may survive. It is our job to ensure the safety of the human populace and its leaders. I will do that as best I can. I will lead the assault myself from the command ship, the _Iron Doom. _It has been a pleasure."

Von Doom turned and began walking away.

He stopped a few feet in front of Sue and her brother.

"I will relay any further instructions from the _Iron Doom._"

He then walked more forward, and nodded to Johnny.

Moira edged further closer and this time she could hear their conversation.

"I made a promise to a friend Johnny. Any decisions I have made concerning you or your sister have been made with that in mind. Uppermost in mind. I have always had your best interests at heart. I apologize for the seeming cruelty of my earlier actions, but I believed that it would have been safer that way. I apologize again. I have long looked after the two of you. You are well able to do that now. I only ask one thing. Take care of her. In our time together, I have. . . come to care for her deeply. She knows this, or at least, she should know this. I may not show it all the time. I may not even seem like I care. But I do care Susan. I care more than you will ever know."

Johnny heard Von Doom's speech impassively. He then bowed his head.

"I never liked you much Victor. You were always to rigid and commanding. But you did take care of me. And for whatever reason you gave my sister the happiest moments of her existence after this whole mess begun. For that I owe you everything that is important to me. Personal likes aside, I respect you for what you are. I will take care of her. You shouldn't even need to ask."

Johnny had never been so formal in his life Moira thought. He had never spoken so in front of her at least.

Sue shook herself out of her brother's embrace and then hugged Von Doom hard. Behind her Moira could tell some of the Council was feeling a little awkward, but they couldn't even heard the conversation.

Von Doom seemed a little taken aback at first, but the he hugged her back with a passion to rival Sue's. Sue looked up and cupped his cheek tenderly, and then leaned forward and kissed him. Von Doom took her kiss with a savage passion, and then broke away.

"No more Sue. I love you with all my being, but I have duty. Duty has always called me. Be well."

He turned and strode out of the room. The door slammed shut behind him. Sue bowed her head and then turned to her brother.

"I love you too." Moira just barely made out the words. She locked eyes with Johnny over his sisters head.

He nodded at her, and then tilted his head to the side, holding up a couple of fingers. Moira understood. He wanted some private time. Time enough to console his sister. Moira understood.

She turned.

"No time to waste people. Let's begin evacuation. The rest of the fleet will not take off until we are in the air."

She began to shepherd the rest into the cruiser as in a corner of the large hangar Johnny held his sister. No matter what his words, Moira knew that Johnny looked up to Von Doom more than anyone else. He had cared for them since Sue's soon to be fiancé had died. Von Doom's friend and rival. Reed Richards. Moira had never met him, but form what little she had learnt he would have been the sort of man the Council needed the most. Patient, caring, understanding. A genius and capable of great reasoning. A natural leader.

However he was not, and they had to make do with what they had. She walked to the cruiser herself, with Mariko trailing as always. A comforting presence.

x------------------------------------x

In the cool darkness of his room, or the one assigned to him anyway Bishop wondered. He wondered about this world he was in. He didn't wonder how it all began of course. He knew that. He had always known that. He had been there. He had been there before too. Yet most of what he knew was so hazy. He knew Magneto, knew the X-men, knew what they were like. . . and yet he didn't. It was as if interspersed within and without the mental images of the X-men were those of other X-men, the same and yet not the same.

Different and yet so similar. And not just them, but more than them. Magneto was Magneto was Magneto. It went on in a spiral, showcasing the best and worst and everything in between. He was there, and yet he was not.

Bishop put a hand to his head.

He didn't want to think about it. He had lived for over 6 decades, and most of his life had been filled with confusion. For most of his life he had tried to deal with images. Images of completely different things. What was paramount was the faces of the X-men, and two or three others. A young woman with black hair, hanging onto the arm of a bald young man. Another much younger man, one with jet black hair, dressed in what seemed like a hospital gown, with the hair standing on end, as though held in place by static electricity. Every time Bishop remembered the young mans face he remembered a string of broken words.

Time. . . Legion. . . Gabrielle . . . failure. . . Magneto. . . Powers. . . Legion. . . Time. . . Legion. . . time. . . past key.

For the last 20 years he had tried to make sense of these words. Time and Legion were the most important, being repeated many times. What did it mean? Did it signify Apocalypses legions? A time for them to attack? No. . . it couldn't have been. 20 years ago Apocalypse was just beginning to show his face to the world. Perhaps the words were meant for then? And that he had failed? No. . . Somehow Bishop was sure that was not it. Magneto. . . apparently he had to get this to Magneto. . . or maybe Magneto had something to do with this. He was confused. . .

Bishop put a hand to his head. He was so confused. His mind told him to trust Magneto, but his instincts doubted, trusting on the one hand, and yet murderously distrustful the next. All he knew was this was all wrong. And he was also somehow convinced this was his fault.

He stood. . . it had to be tried. The words were important. . . and with three telepaths there, it was his best chance to find out what the words meant. He had to trust. . . it was the only chance. The only chance. . . that he was sure of.

x----------------------------------x

He could feel it. Needles in him, burning him, frozen one minute, boiling the next. Like a pincushion he was suspended in the air, stuck in free movement, a hundred needles stuck in him, and all connected to the massive tube he was in. No wait. . . he was learning. No he was alone. Was he playing? Like dust motes, true awareness seemed to slip out of his hands just as he grasped it. He could see it, but not touch it. Could not come into true contact with it. He made another try, a gasping try. He touched it. For one fleeting second. Yet in that second, a hundred sensations, no a thousand. . . more, a million sensations crowded into him. He could feel himself being stuck by needles. He could feel the liquid around him, holding him up. He could feel the mask on his face, the apparatus controlling his heart rate, breath rate. He could feel a large protuberance in his head. He could feel long hair. . . brown? - waving in front of him. He could see beyond him a world denied previously. A world that stung his eyes, so that he could not even see for the moment he could have seen. He saw glowing red eyes, and a glowing red. . . third eye? – no, diamond above and between them. And then he feel back into oblivion. But he now had something to think of. Glowing red eyes, a red diamond. Sinister. Feelings of hate surged through him. Yes, he had something to hate now. He had Sinister to hate. . .

Sinister. . . for his life. Fort the life Sinister had granted him, and then stripped away to use as a tool. Sinister for the murder of everyone he had ever cared for. Remy Lebeau had sacrificed himself to save Nate from Candra and Sinister, down in the catacombs, near the containment area in the Tower.

And then Sinister had murdered his new family. Forge, Therese, Toad, Soaran, Mastermind and poor old Brute. Sinister had murdered them without a care. Only so that he could train Nate. To fight Apocalypse. Something Nate would probably do anyway. Apocalypse had to be stopped.

Nate opened his eyes again. This time he could see fairly well, as the room was dark as well, lit only by the muted glow of the stairwell leading to the lower floor of the infirmary. He had woken only a few minutes ago, woken by the massive amount of grief that he could feel near him. The entire ship was mired in it. It was enough to give his marginally trained mind a headache. This wasn't what he had expected upon waking up.

Then again what had he expected? He had found the ones Forge had spoken of, fighting against Apocalypse's son himself, Holocaust. Nate had taken him on, and Nate had taken him down. It had however taken a lot out of Nate. His rest had healed him well enough though. He raised his head and touched a hand to his left eye. He knew it. It was glowing again. He suddenly felt a presence in the room, seconds before the shadows in the corner moved.

He watched warily as a tall man walked in, well built, with long flowing brown hair. His eyes were covered by a thin visor, with ruby glass covering the slit where his eyes would have shown. The visor had a long tube attached to the back of it which extended to his right hand. . . no, gauntlet. A massive armored gauntlet was strapped to his right arm. There was a matching one on the left, but without the tube. Strange. Nate remembered that this man had had tubes leading to both gauntlets for the brief time he had seen him during the fight with Holocaust.

Suddenly he felt another presence come alive, and a woman walked up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder. She had vibrant red hair, and a tattoo emblazoned around her left eye. Other than that she had rather unremarkable, if beautiful features.

The two looked down at him, and he could feel that they were deciding something, yet he could not read their minds, or even feel much more than suggestions.

The woman spoke.

"Welcome back Nate. My name is Jean. I'm one of the X-men, and this is Cyclops, an ally of the X-men, and defector from Apocalypse's ranks. . . just in case you've heard of Cyclops and remember him as being one of Apocalypse's lackeys." She tempered the last sentence with a smile, which he realized was meant to soothe the man next to her more than Nate.

"Yes. . . I. . . welcome you Nate. You and I have much in common Nate."

Nate looked form one to the other. They wanted something from him. He knew it, he could tell, even if he couldn't read them. For some reason though, he didn't think they meant any harm.

"In common? How could we have anything in common. . . and how come your.. you know, your minds are blocked. . .?"

Jean smiled at him, clearly at him this time.

"That's because of me. I have similar powers to your Nate, I'm both telepathic and telekinetic. You on the other hand are not only telepathic or telekinetic, but can wield the psionic power in almost anyway you want. . . Will you be more at ease if I opened my mind to you?"

Nate relaxed back against the pillows, her words somehow soothing, in fact her tone seemed soothing.

"No. . . It's alright. I just. . ."

Cyclops barked a laugh. A nervous laugh. Nate narrowed his eyes at him. Even Jean was nervous. He noted the look and seemed to steel himself before speaking.

"Call me Scott Nate. I'm gathering you already know we want to talk to you about something.. well. . . Nate. . . we know about your history. How you came to this world, so to speak."

Nate raised his eyebrows as Scott talked, and at the end, he jerked up in the bed.

"What? How can you know that? Who are. . . of course, you're the one time High prelate! Forge told me about you. . . but. . ."

Jean interrupted.

"He was the High prelate at one time Nate, not anymore. Now he's one of the X-men, in spirit if not in name. We found out about you form another source."

Scott silenced Jean with a wave of his hand, and then sat in a chair nearby the bed.

"I spent much of my life under the watchful eyes of Sinister. . . the man who created you. He was something of a father to me, but he betrayed me. . . he was only using me. He did the same to you. What he has done to us. . . not just you and me, but to Jean pales in comparison to everything else. Nate. . . your full name is Nate Gray correct?"

Nate was a bit confused. . . the name Sinister had agitated him, but Nate knew he was dead. He had killed him. He found that he pitied the man before him. . . and he now distrusted him. If Sinister had raised him he could be capable of anything. However he decided to bide his time for now.

"Yeah. . ."

Scott swallowed, and then spoke.

"Nate, my name is Scott Summers. . . and this woman, her name is Jean Gray."

A horrible suspicion began to grow in Nate, a dread that overcame all his earlier suspicion.

"Sinister matched our genetic code and found that we were perfectly matched. And from our DNA could a mutant be created that would be perfect in its genetic makeup. The most powerful mutant ever. You, Nate. . . you're the mutant."

Nate fell back against the headboard, his eyes open in shock. . . these two. . . these two were. . .

"We're your parents Nate."

At that Nate felt Jean's mind open to him, and like an extension of that he felt Scott's mind. He saw everything, Sinister's cruel experiments, the battles between the X-men and Apocalypse's forces, the fight against the horsemen, and the shining certainty that Jean and Scott were his parents. Nate didn't disbelieve them, and not just because of the images he was receiving, but because he knew, on some level that they were what they claimed. Especially Jean. Nate had already felt a closeness to her, and not just because of the similarity of their powers.

So this was what Sinister had denied him. And Nate knew one thing instinctively. They didn't know one another at all, and had no relationship to speak of, but the bond had been made with the revelation, indeed before that. In a truer time and place, Nate knew the three of them would have been together. However, here and now, he was glad to at least know who they were.

He didn't even realize it but he was clutching his head. He never realized he was crying. What he did realize was that he had just been given a gift. In a world that had given him nothing but pain and sorrow, Nate had found a family.

He felt himself being pulled into a warm body, and a harder hand place itself, tentatively on his shoulder. His mother, and his father. Comforting him. It was hard to believe. It was hard to resist. He let all his emotions and feelings loose, letting them course through the newly established link between them.

And they were at peace, for the moment. A peace that Nate, and his parents knew, would not last forever.

x------------------------------------x

Brigadier Alysande Stuart rushed frantically to her home. What had seemed like a routine morning had gone very very wrong. The weather wasn't helping either; it had been raining for the last few hours. Working the graveyard shift had never really appealed to her, but she herself had advocated rotating shifts for everyone, no matter what rank. Von Doom had seconded her in this, and the shifts had been announced. Having Von Doom's confidence had helped her a lot in attaining the position she now wielded. Only a select few had been given favored status by Von Doom, and she had been one of them. A graveyard shift at Portsmouth. . . what a joke. She'd been sipping her tea, waiting for the damn relief, a bloody pest of a lieutenant to arrive, when the Era had gone off. By the time she had managed to make head or tail of what was going on, and had received her orders from Von Doom, the damn Sea Wall had already taken out Lands End. By the time she was able to leave, Plymouth was gone. BY this time Exeter was gone too.

She laughed bitterly as she revved the ATCV into moving faster. All Terrain Combat Vehicles. . . they had seemed like a great asset. . . useless now. No match for the awesome power of the Security Grid Sea Wall 'towers'. At least they helped her in reaching her home faster. Not fast enough though. Behind her she could still hear the shuddering booms of the attack as it progressed. A long way away, and yet so close. If she looked hard enough she could see the silhouettes of the Sea Walls. A peal of thunder sounded, or was it an explosion? Alysande couldn't be certain.

Ahead of her she could see the enormous bodies of the Transport Ships. Loading. She hoped Alistaire had contacted one of the neighbors. Perhaps he was already sitting in one of the ships. . . Fat Chance. . . Alistaire wouldn't have left without her. Same way she was going back to him. Going AWOL as it were. . . Von Doom had wanted them to remain at the hangar. Stay with the '_Iron Doom'_. Not her. Disobedience. . . not something she had ever done before. Not that it mattered anymore. Rank didn't matter now.

Nothing mattered anymore, nothing but survival. Her and Alistaire's. She knew she wasn't the only one to think in this way. A lot of the others had split as well. The _"Iron Doom"_ was being manned by about three quarters of the crew it was expected to have. That Von Doom expected it to have. She laughed bitterly, with wild hilarity. Why the hell did the Sea Walls have to come now? She should have expected it, with the attack of the horseman Death, and with the X-men chasing after it. . . it had all seemed like one big bad omen. Von Doom had already begun to recall all Sentinels to mount a defense. But no defense could hold back the Sea Wall. Not even the PRIME Sentinels could hold them back, despite all their added power. The PRIME's were meant for use against mutant threats. Nothing they had could fight against the Sea Wall's. . . with the exception of the nuclear arsenal, and the force needed to take down one Sea Wall would leave their homeland a ruin, inhabitable for anyone. Her mind shied away from that prospect. She had to get home quickly, and see to getting on board a Transport Ship.

She could see people running away, most of the neighborhood already empty. Doors had been left open, lights left on. The news would have come as a completer surprise, and people would have run immediately. She hoped Alistaire had already gotten away. She screeched to a halt in front of her and her brothers home and ran inside.

"Alistaire? Where are you?"

She heard a reply from their living room. He was here. She felt happy as well as sad. Happy she could save him, go with him, and sad that he was not already on his way. Ever since the fateful battle all those years ago, the battle that had cost Alistaire his legs. . . Alysande had been looking after him, taking over the job that had been his. Succeeding in the job at least as well as Alistaire could have hoped for. Their relationship had always been strange, always changing. They had at first been friendly rivals, the brother and sister, engaged in the same profession, that of being a soldier. Alistaire had been good, as had Alysande, and the patriarchal nature of society had seen fit to advance Alistaire. Alysande had been jealous. Not so friendly anymore. Then Alistaire had his legs shattered in a battle with the Reavers. He had been honorably discharged, given medals and honors. And his spirit had been broken. Alysande had grieved for her brothers loss, and had secretly been glad as well. Now she would have no brother to overshadow her, she could prove herself. And she had, succeeding in every way her brother had before her. The roles had been reversed. Alysande took care of her brother, and he in turn was jealous of her. Everything he wanted to accomplish was being done by his sister.

In many ways the ever changing nature of their relationship was the only thing that had sustained it. Despite the jealousy and rivalry, they were close. Perhaps closer for the jealousy and rivalry. She protected him, and he resented her for it. Earlier that had been a problem, especially with her guilt. Guilt spawned of her happiness in her circumstances. Over time however, the guilt had gone, and she had slowly repaired her relationship with her brother. Though it could be strained at times, especially when he was being melancholy, patience would win out. She shared her life with him, and he advised her as and when he could, and she took the advice when she found it pertinent. In many ways he had become an extension of her, and their thinking patterns were so alike, she had been considering asking Von Doom to install him in an advisory position. Not that it mattered now.

"I've heard the sirens sister. I suppose we're off then?" Alistaire could be the master of the understatement when he chose.

"Yes Ali'. It's Apocalypse. He's expanded the Security Grid." Alysande ran around the room, making certain Alistaire hadn't forgotten anything.

"Oh really? The security perimeter grid? You don't say!" Sarcastic as hell too. "Stop stating the obvious Aly'. I know what's goin' on. I was in the army too. . . or have you forgotten. Getting out of here's gonna be bloody difficult. It's pandemonium everywhere. Few people I've called, and who've bothered to answer tell me the same bloody thing. They're standing in the lines, waiting for the shuttles to transport them up. You should have gone up with Von Doom. At least that way you'd have been in the air. Could've stolen a fighter and run or something."

Maybe he was right; Alysande didn't want to waste time debating.

"That's beside the point now Ali'. You've got all the supplies, and we've got to go now. The ATCV I've stolen will help only so much. The Sea Wall's are moving at a horrifying rate. Von Doom's concentrating the forces a few miles east of here, so we've got to run fast. Won't be nothing stopping them. We'll head for Southampton. That's the nearest loading zone. London will be too packed. They're going to stage a stand at Stonehenge, so we can most likely make it if we go to Southampton."

Alistaire nodded. The two of them got to work quickly, and in a few minutes they were in the ATCV. Alysande shifted into high gear and the two roared their way out of the sleepy town they had called home. A deserted town now.

A few miles later, Alysande wondered if it was the best choice. The _'Iron Doom' _had lifted off, that much she knew from the broadcasts on her radio, and the Sentinels were in position in Stonehenge, with cavalry in Salisbury. Too close for comfort. Ahead of her she could see the explosions. In her mind she could imagine the people dying. It couldn't matter anymore. Only she and Alistaire mattered now. Only their survival. Ahead she could make out Southampton. Shuttles were lifting off, and flying towards the Transport Ships. The Ships located in strategic locations across the Councils area of writ. She heard more frantic reports on the radio. The Sea Walls had been sighted in Stonehenge. The battle had begun.

". . . They're coming. . . Holy good God. . . they're fucking massive! . . . All right, squadron A, take the ones on the left, and squadron B the ones on the right. Hit and run only! We have to figure out what these bastards are made of, what they can and cannot withstand. Von Doom's ordered the PRIME's to be kept back for- Holy Shit! That motherfucker just. . . sonofabitch. I've never seen nothing do that to a Sentinel before. Oh these bastards. . . not just the Walls, but those damn Infinites too! Sonofabitch. . . There must be over a thousand of them. Oh fuck. . . call up flight C and D! Now! Fuck hit and run, take it to the bastards. Mr. von Doom. . . I'm calling in one flight of PRIME's. . . we need them here."

Alistaire's mouth grew set and grim as he heard the play-by-play over the radio. GW Bridge. A good man. A man Alysande respected. He must on the '_Iron Doom'_ carrying out Von Doom's orders. Where she should have been. Alysande didn't feel any guilt. She had to survive. That was all there was to it. The commentary grew more frantic. They were taking heavy hits. At least this wasn't even a third of the total fleet. The battleships were assaulting now. Nothing. She could hear the battle taking place, miles away. She could almost see it in the growing light. Explosions, and tiny figures, surrounding the much larger Sea Walls. She couldn't see the Sentinels or the Infinites from this far.

Then she heard it.

"Retreat! This is Commander GW Bridge, and I'm calling a full retreat! We'll regroup in London. Back off!"

Alysande's mouth grew dry with fear. Too soon. This was too soon. The Sea Wall's would arrive in Southampton the same time as them. She pushed the ATCV harder. Beside her Alistaire's face had gotten even grimmer. She had to push harder.

Southampton seemed deserted when they arrived, but Alysande could hear the shouts of people up ahead. Behind them she could hear the death knell. . . the sound of the approaching Sea Wall's, and the explosions and screams accompanying them. Alysande wondered if it was the people they had left behind them that were screaming. Due to their ATCV they could move much faster than others. They could survive. The heat gauge was almost in red. She had pushed the vehicle to its limit. More of this and it would die out, the engine becoming too hot. If she pushed harder it might even catch on fire. God knew there were enough fires around here to burn her, Alistaire and the ATCV in seconds.

"Why the hell have we stopped? Get a move on you bloody cow!"

Alysande glared at her brother, before getting back in and shifting gear.

"You're lucky to be blood kin to me arsehole, or I'd leave you here."

Alistaire laughed at her reply.

They moved fast, skirting mounds of rubble and mangled remains of cars. It looked like a war zone. And the Sea Wall was yet to arrive.

Alysande pulled out a map of the city. Her finger followed the key until it found what she wanted.

"The nearest shuttle is a kilometer away, west of here. . . We can make it there just in time."

Alistaire nodded impatiently, and they headed for the shuttle. Alysande risked a look back in the rearview mirror. The damn Sea Wall's loomed large in her line of sight. They were minutes away. But so were they.

She screeched to a halt a few feet behind a panicked mob of hundreds of people. Too many. And with Alistaire's condition they would never be able to get by in an orderly manner. Not in time. And the shuttle could only hold a few more people.

"Oh this is bloody brilliant."

Alysande's mouth set in a grim line. The Sea Wall's were too close. Their dark shadow already fell across them, and people screamed louder and tried harder to get ahead. Several people had already been trampled underfoot. A stench of blood, sweat and smoke was mixed in the air. Despite being used to it, the smoke stung her eyes. She scrunched her nose, and looked with pitiless eyes at the humans before her. The humans she had given oath to protect. Her people. But she had to live, she and Alistaire. It had to be done. She pulled a state of the art, heavy artillery ordnance from where she had left it behind her seat. It had enough spare shells to last a good long while. Enough to clear a path for her. Stark Industries had done better than expected with this model. It was not just cutting edge, it was the standard that all other companies tried to copy. The PRIME's were equipped with these as well, as secondary ordnance.

The terrified humans had barely any time to react. The assault rifle cut a heavy swathe through the bodies, leaving them torn and mangled. Red blood sprayed across the square, and the people up ahead in the mob turned in despair to meet their doom at the hands of one of their own.

Alysande stopped finally. It seemed as though minutes had passed, when it was only seconds. The eerie silence was broken only by the cries and moans of the wounded, and the explosions behind them.

"Come on Ali'. . . we have to get out of here, now."

She helped Alistaire out of the ATCV and onto the ground. She navigated him across and around the bodies and up to the shuttle. As she pushed Alistaire in through the doors, she felt something cold pressed against her leg. She heard the shot and then felt the growing cold in her leg. She fell back, just outside the door and looked up in shock at Alistaire's face. At the cold smile there.

"Ah, Aly. Why so surprised? Surely you didn't think I cared for you in any way?"

Alysande tried to speak, but she couldn't form the words. Her femoral. Alistaire had shot her in the femoral and she could feel her life blood seep away. Why? And why now? When freedom was so close?

"You wonder why don't you Aly'? It's simple Aly', very very simple. You took everything away from me! My life! My career! Everything I could have been you took from me! I've hated you for it, secretly nursing my hatred, not letting you see it. Until this day, when finally the Sea Walls crossed the Atlantic and laid waste to Eurasia. I was worried when the horseman Death was revealed, and then later when the Sea Walls did not arrive as planned. A delay, but it has all gone as planned. Apocalypse himself could not have done better! I planned this with Death and his stooge, Brian Braddock. For years now I have been gathering information, and now finally it had come to fruit. I shall be one of the leaders of the remaining humans, and if all goes as planned, the only military leader. Once again I shall live as I was meant to! With the reigns of command in my hand! Farewell Alysande."

Alistaire turned around and left Alysande lying before the Shuttle doors, bleeding to death, knowing that doom would come for her certainly. Either from blood loss, or from the fiery death behind her. The shuttles engines came to life and it began hovering in the air, and then slowly began lifting off. Around her people cried in despair as the shuttle lifted higher and higher. Alysande would have screamed herself, if she could work up the strength. Or the will. Her brother hated her, and resented her. Why? She had done her best with him, and it had seemed like they were happy. Why? What had she done to deserve this? Alysande closed her eyes and waited for cold oblivion to take over her.

Alistaire chortled as he wheeled over to a window, pushing aside all in his way. With the small Glock he clenched in his fist, people gave him enough room. They had seen what he and Alysande had done. He began laughing out loud as eh thought of his sister. The exquisiteness of it! The pain, horror and pure shock in her eyes. It nearly made all those years spent with her worthwhile. He looked out the window and his laughter stopped. He had not factored this into his plans. The robotic face of an Infinite looked in. beyond it he could see hundreds more. Alistaire screamed in frustration and then the entire shuttle exploded, carrying his scream, and those of a thousand others on board out into the air.

As the shuttles debris landed, the Sea Walls continued their bloody trek through Eurasia, destroying all. And Von Dooms forces gathered in London for the final stand.

Yeah, that's it for this bit. . .

Hope you don't mind my stuffing in the two Stuart siblings. . . kinda wanted an easier point of view than two thousand nameless people running about getting fried by the Sea Walls. . ..

Boobles. . .


	12. My Immortal: Part II: Away From Me

Once again, I'm back with another edition of the final chapter of my beautiful story.. yes I know, I'm being vain! But who cares! I'm finishing a saga that took away much of the last 3 years form me… and I'm damn glad I wrote it, and I'm damn glad its ending! Why? Because I'm going crazy! It's 5 am and I'm sitting and typing away. I shall probably lose all the nerves in my wrists and suffer form bad ergonomics and feng shui for the rest of my miserable childless, wifeless life. . .

On the other hand, I may develop super powers.

Anyway, next installment of my final chapter of the third part of the redux to the Age of Apocalypse. . .

Whose damn one shots miniseries thingy was, very frankly, a piece of crap and a blemish on the name of Age of Apocalypse. Akira Yoshida should be killed by a manically depressed suicidal, homicidal and geriatric kleptomaniac woman waving around a handbag and a butchers knife.

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men. There shouldn't be any more damn OC's left. See? I can kill off OC's and they won't be reborn, and you can be sure they won't be retconned.

**My Immortal 2: Away From Me**

The sounds of screams had increased exponentially over the last few hours. No one had expected the horrific defeat at Stonehenge. They had expected to lose yes, but not so quickly. Von Doom had wanted a margin of at least a few more hours to give to London and Edinburgh. At least in their frigate the High Council was safe. Safer than anyone else. The frigate had enough fuel to take a trip around the world easily enough. It might even come to that. Eurasia would not be habitable. Not anymore. Von Doom had a new plan now, and Johnny was fairly certain he knew what it was. He didn't blame the man. Despite his recent actions, Johnny knew Von Doom. And he respected him.

Almost unconsciously Johnny's eyes moved to his sister. Susan had gone to sleep. After an hour of crying, she had curled into a little ball and gone to sleep. She was among the strongest women he knew, but she had had her crutches. Her dependency on Von Doom. She had never been the same since Reed died. Her first love. Von Doom's best friend. Von Doom had been there for her at a time Johnny was not around. And all her feeling for Reed had transferred to Von Doom. IN many ways they were alike the two men. Von Doom was equally as brilliant as Reed. Yet in other ways he was different. Reed had been reserved, but Von Doom was cold. Ruthless. Reed had been compassionate. In the most primal of ways the two men had been different. Johnny also suspected that had it not been for Susan, Von Doom may have been lost to the world a long time ago. He may have joined Apocalypse himself in a bid for power. Von Doom's power madness had been quenched by a deeper madness, a purer madness. Von Doom had fallen in love. And Johnny knew that leaving Susan had been the hardest thing Von Doom had probably ever done.

He looked out of the window by his chair. London was surrounded by a halo of flames. The isle burned. Johnny could almost see them, the large dark shapes behind the fire. Flames from various cities and towns. From the bodies of millions of people. Millions that could not have been saved. Millions more added to the death toll the never-ending battle against Apocalypse had caused. Most of them dead at Apocalypse's hands. Johnny had been too young to understand it before. Too young to comprehend it. The life he led as a member of the High Council had changed all of that.

Von Doom had activated all the PRIME sentinels. All of them. He could see them now, standing in place above the great city, flanked by the older Sentinels. And the fleet. The five great battleships; _'Iron Doom', 'Omega Red', 'Hand of Thor', 'Victorious Trask', 'Excalibur'. _Armed with the best weapons the Council had, and powerful enough to survive anything short of a nuclear blast. Of the ten that had been commissioned, only five remained. And yet, the best of them '_Iron Doom'_ still fought in the sky.

Their frigate tarried. Johnny wasn't sure why, but he wasn't complaining. Perhaps it was a morbid curiosity to see the Sea Walls up close, or to view the final battle. Johnny knew the real reason though. They were waiting for the rest of the massive transports to arrive. From London they would traverse the routes the Sentinels would take in protecting Eurasia. They would break off above the Mediterranean, near the devastated ruins of the second Muir Isle. And then head East. Perhaps to some remote part of Asia that had not been destroyed in the wars. They would brave the magnetic storm near Wundagore. And if they survived, they would begin new lives, always fearful of another attack by Apocalypse. Realistically however, the Sea Wall would probably scour the entire planet. It would not stop at Eurasia. The Walls would move in a straight line as they had before, destroying everything. And they would not stop until they had encircled the entire globe. Johnny was sure of it. The Council had to be sure of it. To not factor that into their plans was committing suicide.

The sound of gentle tapping roused him from his reverie. Moira was walking towards them. There was a woman Johnny was glad to know. Moira had been a pillar of strength in the council. She had easily taken her ex-husbands place, and between herself and Brian Braddock, before Death's influence had corrupted him, had ruled the Council with a firm hand. She was a smart woman. She had to be to manage the select group that was the High Council. She had left military rule to Von Doom after the death of her husband. While Brian had taken an interest in the armed forces of the High Council, he had known Von Doom was a superior strategist, and everyone on the Council had realized that his cold-bloodedness was perfect for the job. Moira was a person Johnny considered among his closest friends.

"How is Susan doing?" Moira sounded worried. She should be. Susan had never broken down like that before. Johnny doubted anyone had known the depth of feeling Susan and Von Doom had for each other, not until Von Doom had left Susan with the Frigate.

"She's fine. Sleeping now; emotions exhausted her."

Moira nodded, looking compassionately at Susan.

"Och. . . should'nae happen to anyone. This world should'nae happen to anyone. . . " Moira finished bitterly.

Johnny nodded along. It was a realistic assessment. This world was barely fit to live in. No one should have an existence where they were expected to fight constantly for their very survival, and always lie in fear of an attack. Apocalypse had re-created this world in his own image. In all of history there had never been a person with a more devastating effect on this planet. And now his weapons of terror had come calling. And only one man truly stood against them. Von Doom. Who inspired other soldiers to follow and to die to protect their people. He had stood alone for a while, and had inspired others to take a stand. Just like Bolivar Trask and Richard Kelly before him. Like Charles Xavier, who with Moira had managed to create a fragile peace between the High Council and the X-men. Now Von Doom stood before the most horrific attack yet.

"Moira. Take care of Susan. I have something I need to do."

--- ---

Johnny adjusted the straps on his seat, and settled back. One of the fighter pilots escorting the frigate had agreed to let Johnny take his place. It hadn't taken much to convince him to vacate his seat for Johnny. Johnny had always liked flying. The rest of the flight would have to do on their own. The FF – 4 was a beauty of a plane. Designed by Lockheed Martin in collaboration with Stark industries, the jet planes were one of the few reasons so many humans had managed to survive after the war. And the reason, along with the X-men, that the High Council had managed to repulse Apocalypse's earlier attacks. Equipped with a 20mm multi-barrel Vulcan cannon with 1500 rounds, and two smaller, high velocity, rail gun's that deploy a 3kg projectile at speeds of 2.5mph, and equipped and loaded with 6 air to air and air to surface missiles, 2 micro-nuclear armed. 22 of these planes were in total out there today, awaiting the Sea Wall's to come into close enough range. Johnny intended to be one of those planes. He was a good enough pilot to handle it. He had piloted one of them in the earlier wars, and he was going to pilot one today. At least this way he'd be able to keep his people safe.

"Check. Six pack 1; this is flight number Torch 3. Confirm, over."

The comm. Unit crackled a bit. All communications devices had some static interference due to the magnetic storm north of the Mediterranean.

"Six Pack 1 here. Who the hell is this?"

Johnny smiled and pressed the switch.

"This is Jonathan Storm, I've taken the place of Torch 3 and request permission to join Six Pack. Over."

There was silence for nearly a minute. Then the comm. Crackled again.

"All right. Glad to have you aboard sir. Guess we're not the Six pack anymore. Not a problem. We'll call ourselves the Wild Pack."

Johnny smiled again, a grim smile, but an exhilarating one as well. He had missed this, the camaraderie of a flight unit. He didn't know the team, but he knew how to fly, and the Six Pack.. now the Wild Pack had an unwritten rule. They only took loners. Mavericks. They tended to go their own way, but always watched each others backs. Johnny also knew that the flight leader would have checked with the _'Iron Doom' _for instructions. Von Doom or GW Bridge had given their okay. Whichever, it didn't matter.

"Got you Wild Pack 1. This is Wild Pack 7, Johnny Storm."

The comm. Crackled to life again.

"Right. You be my wing man. This is Garrison Kane by the way."

"Understood. Pleased to meet you Kane."

Johnny banked his plane to the right and then increased his speed. London was before him, and a shimmering halo of fire surrounded it. Clouds were everywhere. Johnny wondered if it would rain again.

Up ahead, one of the Sea Walls had descended upon London. Johnny watched as brilliant bursts of energy shot out of the many turrets lining the sides of the monolithic structure. Wherever the laser touched, it left devastation. A dull red beam of energy was coming out of both sides, and connecting it to another Sea Wall. In fact, Johnny realized that every Sea Wall was connected by the dull red beams of energy. Johnny wondered what that was, when suddenly the Sea Wall launched missiles that rained down onto the streets of London, destroying meters of ground at a time. ON Johnny's left and right, the other Sea Wall's were also destroying London.

'_Omega Red'_ turned to face the Sea Wall, and began firing. Highly charged turbo lasers and missiles with enough power to rupture diamonds were shrugged off by the Sea Walls. Johnny watched in shock as the Sea Wall released hundreds of Infinites into the sky. Five infinites for every Sentinel. Johnny felt hope plummet in his gut. On the streets of London hundreds died as a massive projectile slammed into the ground, creating explosions for meters in every direction. With a cry of rage Johnny clenched the trigger and pushed the stick forward. The plane shot forward, and into the wave of incoming Infinites. The Infinites didn't stand a chance. Before they could do anything they were torn to shreds by the power of the Vulcan cannons. Johnny pulled back on his stick and the plane swooped upwards. Something shook the plane. Johnny turned and realized that almost ten Infinites were on his tail. He increased his speed and tried dodging, but the Infinites stuck to their target like a dog at a bone. An Infinite landed on his wing. Johnny snarled and punched the defense button. 100,000 Kilovolts of pure electricity coursed through the outside of the plane. The Infinite screamed and fell off, smashing into another, the impact causing both to explode in mid-air. Johnny chuckled grimly. Two down, but five to go, and he wouldn't be able to deploy that tactic again. He nose-dived and rolled, but he couldn't shake them off. His plane was taking harder and harder hits. It wouldn't even be operational after a while.

"Keep going straight Wild 7. I'll get 'em off your back."

Johnny began laughing in relief. Garrison Kane. He could barely hear the Infinites squawk in surprise as Garrison Kane came down on them, cutting down one with his cannon, and two more with the rail guns. Johnny heard Kane whooping. The man was in his element. The last two broke off and tried to flee, but Johnny and Kane shot them out of the sky.

"I thought you were gonna be my wingman. Still, this ain't too bad. I see more. Follow me Johnny boy, I promise you won't be sorry."

Johnny laughed along and turned his plane to follow Kane's plane.

A few minutes later Johnny was dodging again. He was getting tired of this. It seemed he'd been dodging fire for a very long time. Despite all the power of the great battleships, the Sea Walls were barely affected. A nuclear attack was ruled out because it would destroy the fleet as well as the Sea Walls. A nuclear strike was a last ditch option. A last resort. Johnny had a terrible feeling it might even come to that.

He swung around a building, hoping to hear the satisfying explosion of the enemy jet hit the building. No such luck. The human's who had joined Apocalypse may be reviled by his people, but they were every bit as good as the high Councils fleet. Apocalypse had damn good planes… well, fighters anyway. Johnny wasn't sure they could be classified as planes. The one on his tail was good. Johnny sighed and then slowed down. The enemy fighter slowed as well. He wouldn't overshoot Johnny, the enemy wasn't that green. Johnny had a another trick up his sleeve though. He released one of the missiles, and let it fall. An air to air missile. The fighter overshot it before he could slow fast enough. Johnny activated the missile. With an exhilarating 'BOOM", the missile slammed into the enemy fighter, and Johnny sped up to move out of the area. He laughed, feeling a wild elation in his heart suddenly. The enemy fighters were good, but the high Council was fighting for their lives, their very homes. And that made them very dangerous.

Johnny stopped laughing as he saw what was ahead of him. Kane was under heavy fire, and one of the jets he was attacking had another figure on top of it. A mutant. The fighter was larger than any he had seen before. Johnny knew a little about how Apocalypse's army was divided. His main lieutenants were the Externals, and Mikhail Rasputin, and his son Holocaust. Or maybe the horsemen had that spot now. Whichever, it didn't matter. If a mutant that powerful was here, the fight was going to get a lot harder. Below them came the Prelates, Apocalypse's commanders, and below them were the Rooks and the Uber-leutnants. Rooks for defense, Uber-leutnants in the army. Below them were the human commanders. These were generally given cybernetic implants, much like the Reavers had. Johnny guessed that it was an Uber-leutnant. He quickly pressed the trigger releasing another missile. He was the wingman, he was supposed to cover Kane. His missile streaked through the air. Johnny tried to get a fix with his rail gun. However he was too late. An energy discharge shot out of the mutants hands and slammed into Kane's fighter, blasting off the wing.

"Mayday, mayday, I've taken a hit and am going down. . . Oh fuck, what's that buzzing sound. . ."

His plane spun through the air a few times, out of control, and then in a shower of flame it exploded.

"NO!" Johnny pressed down on the triggers hard and flew towards the fighters who had shot down Kane. Bullets sprayed out of his cannon, and his rail gun whined in protest at being used so indiscriminately. The fighters never stood a chance. The missile struck the lead ship, destroying half of it, and the bullets finished the work, blowing all three ships out of the sky.

Johnny was in a berserker rage, though and he didn't care if three ships were down. He turned his plane towards the nearest target and flew towards it, uncaring of the amount of fighters he was drawing. A dozen infinites were on his tail, and there was no back-up.

His bullets ran out.

Johnny realized he was alone as his bloodlust faded in light of the knowledge that he was out of ammunition. His rail guns were overheated and wouldn't be able to reload for at least a few minutes, and he only had his micro-nuclear missiles left. The Wild Pack was busy, the Sentinels were busy, and the PRIMES were ineffectually throwing themselves at the Sea Walls. It had only been fifteen minutes since the Sea Walls had reached London. And Johnny felt very alone. He closed his eyes as he saw enemies coming from all sides. And after years of cynicism and bitterness, Johnny prayed. He prayed that his people would survive this, and that his sister would forgive him for leaving her, and he hoped she would understand. He heard explosions, and squeezed his eyes shut.

Nothing happened.

Johnny opened his eyes. There were no more enemies. They had all been destroyed. He looked up to see another plane, smaller than his, but with two Vulcan cannons, and four of six missiles still attached below the wings. His comm. Unit crackled.

"Did you really think I would let you do this alone, little brother? How dare you leave me alone? Now I'm going to bring my plane in low. Your plane's fuel line is ruptured and it's gonna drop any minute. Open your hatch and get in mine. I've got two more planes providing us cover, so hurry!"

Johnny smiled, and he complied with his sisters instructions.

x-------------------------------------x

The battle was progressing horribly on all fronts. Susan had seen that immediately. She had woken up only to find her brother missing. She had found out what had happened from Moira, through sheer stubborn willpower. Without Johnny or Victor, Susan had nothing to really live for. She had told Moira and the rest of the Council to be strong and lead their people, and had then ordered an FF – 4 modified for rescue operations and reconnaissance to be brought to her. She had boarded the plane and had then gone to search for Johnny. She had heard the death cry of Garrison Kane and had known instinctively that Johnny would go berserk. She had rallied the last remaining of the Wild Pack to her and had gone after Johnny. He had totaled an FF – 4. So she had rescued him. Now however she was facing Von Doom. She smiled slightly as she heard him yell at her. He had not interrupted her during her rescue of Johnny, although he had known she was out there. He had known it was a delicate operation. Now he was letting her face the full brunt of his anger though. Susan smiled through his lecture and then smiled even more sweetly at his peremptory command to get back to the frigate with the rest of the High Council.

"No. I will die with you. If you try and stop me I will try again and again to return to the battlefield. I'll fight with my hands if need be, but I will not let you make me a widower. Your choice now."

Von Doom was stopped short. Susan knew that he knew that she was serious about what she said. Finally Von Doom sighed, and muttered something. Then he nodded, and placed a gloved hand on the screen. He traced his hand down the screen and then the screen blinked out. Susan's hand moved toward the fading afterimage of his hand involuntarily, and then she sighed and settled her face.

"Look sharp Johnny. You're my gunner now. We're going to take out as many of the Infinites as we can. Don't waste our missiles on the Infinites though. Aim to take out any of the Sea Walls turrets if you can. We have to limit their firepower."

Johnny's voice came to her from behind her. The seats in the modified jet were arranged in the old fashion, with the gunner seated behind the pilot, facing the other way. However unlike in the older jets there was some room to move around in the cockpit, and a small hatch that opened to the missile launchers, in case of a need for manual launching. There was a failsafe by the launch mechanism on the wings that allowed the gunner to reach out form the hatch and reconnect the firing mechanism to the trigger on his control panel.

"I get it sis. But I noticed something when I was in the air earlier. The Sea Walls are all connected by a thin red beam of energy. They don't show up on the readings as anything but simple light though, and unless you're close enough you can't see them. I think they're important. Let's test it though. Tell the 'Defenders' to cover us. We'll go in hard and fast. Try to figure out where the lights come from, and whether they're important. Can you handle it that close?"

Susan bit off an epithet and told Johnny what she thought of his question and what he could do with it.

Susan angled the stick lower and opened the comm. Link and told the Defender flight leader what they were planning. She overrode his protests and moved forward, not waiting for the Defenders to move into position. She swept low, firing one of the Vulcan cannons herself, letting Johnny use the other. Johnny had command of the rail gun in between her cannons.

Few Infinites tried to put up a resistance, and the mutant units in their ships, as well as Apocalypse's human soldiers were off to the side, in the thick of the main battle. She moved closer to her target. And then she saw it. A thin red line cutting through any debris and connecting the Sea Wall looming ahead of her to another a few kilometers away. Another red light came out of the other side of the monolith, connecting it to another. She knew Johnny was right. An alarm sounded and she looked to her right, and immediately spun the jet. A missile just barely missed her plane and smashed into a building behind her. Susan cursed under her breath and moved faster, pushing her plane to the limit the Sea Wall rushed towards her, and she saw it, a small canoe shaped protrusion from each side of which thick and blinding light connected together in the centre, in a glowing mass, from which a thin tendril snaked out, guided by a long thin antenna which directed the light towards the other Sea Wall. Susan figured it would be the same on the other side.

She could tell instinctively just as her brother had, that it was important. For what though, was beyond her.

"Blow it away Johnny."

Johnny grunted in reply, and then a missile was streaking towards it. All of a sudden, three turrets aimed at the projectile and blew the missile up before it could impact. Susan gritted her teeth. So it was important. But why? What difference did it make whether they were connected or not? Johnny's cannon came alive and a string of bullets flew towards the turrets. However they had minimal impact.

"Use the rail Johnny . . . but sparingly . . . this one heats faster than the one in the other plane, but it can fire at a faster rate."

Johnny grunted again, and Susan for a brief second envisioned a pig sitting instead of her brother, and herself trying to explain to the pig what to do. The incongruous image was banished from her mind immediately. She had to be grim.

Two projectiles fired off in rapid succession, and two turrets were knocked down. Susan smiled in glee. Soon they'd know why the lights were so important.

One turret. No where near good enough to stop her missiles. She began firing her Vulcan cannon, as did Johnny, and she swooped close and Johnny loosed a missile. The turret distracted by the steady stream of bullets, was not able to target the missile fast enough.

"Bam . . . there goes the last turret. Now to see what happens when we take out the main transmitter thing."

Johnny released another missile, which streaked towards the light transmitter. With a flash, the missile exploded, and a small explosion took place. Immediately the light emanating form the Sea Wall flickered and died. As it did, a low groaning noise came, and suddenly the Sea Wall looked a lot duller.

"What the hell just happened?" Johnny cried out.

Susan stared at the fire and briefly shut her eyes. It had to mean something. Was it offensive… no. The turrets would not have acted to protect it if it was offensive. An energy source maybe? No, that couldn't be it. Defense . . .? Susan opened her eyes. Whatever it was, she knew that it was important to the Sea Wall in some way. And in that case . . .

"We're going to the other side. Defenders on me. We're going to take out the same transmitter on the other side."

She swung the plane around. Curving behind the Sea Wall, and swinging around to the other side. A single projectile flashed out of the rail gun, hitting one of the inactive turrets above the canoe shaped transmitter. The other two turrets sprung to life, but Johnny and Susan had them in their sights. Before they could begin discharging death, they were blown out of their fixtures.

"Now for the transmitter." Susan could hear glee in Johnny's voice.

However, the Sea Wall wasn't done. Suddenly nearly twenty Infinites appeared, heading closer to Susan and Johnny. Susan was turning, coming back to the Sea Wall for a final swooping assault. The Defenders were flying around, but there weren't enough. Susan broke off her attack, and faced the Infinites with the Defenders. Energy and missiles streaked through the air, the Defenders and Susan evading and attacking. Bullets filled the sky with raining metal, and the torn bodies of the Infinites and three Defenders planes lit up the sky with flames. Susan and the remaining three Defenders took out the remaining Infinites, but not without scratches. Susan had to finish this quickly. They wouldn't survive another attack by Infinites, or enemy fighters, and one of the Defenders was in bad shape. Her own plane had been hit too many times for comfort. Luckily most of the damage was centered around the right side of her plane, far from the engines.

She closed in again.

"Alright Johnny, take it out."

Johnny whooped as he hit the trigger. Nothing happened.

"What the hell? Johnny fire now!"

She heard cursing.

"Dammit. It's jammed. I'm gonna have to fire it manually. Hold on."

Susan heard the sound of Johnny unbuckling, and she spun around, taking a sharp turn to give Johnny time to get to the failsafe. She heard him mutter something, and then felt the pull of the wind as Johnny slid open the hatch.

"No problem sis, this'll take a couple of seconds . . . connect the blue to the . . . damn wind . . . keeps pulling my parka . . . shit, this missiles right next to the failsafe . . . hmm green . . . got it."

Suddenly an alarm rang out, and Susan heard Johnny cry out in surprise and pain.

"Johnny! What happened?"

She could still hear the wind inside the plane. Her monitor showed that the missile had launched, but that is was still in its berth.

Johnny's reply was calmer than she expected.

"My hand is stuck to the missile sis. I can't get it loose. Holy shit . . . the hatch is tearing . . . Susan; I'm going to remove the hatch . . ."

Susan broke into what he was saying with a gasp.

"What! Are you insane, the missile will take you with it! I won't let you do that!"

Johnny spoke again, calmly. She could hear him working on the hatch. She tried setting the plane on auto-pilot, but the function was disabled in an alarm situation, or when the failsafe was being operated.

"If I don't, the missile will explode. I can't remove my hand . . . it's fucking burning Susan! My hands caught in the mechanism. The missile has to go. WE have to loose it! It's the last missile . . . I'm doing it."

Susan heard a screech, and then a clang. The hatch was gone. She heard Johnny shifting about, and turned her head, uncaring of the Sea Wall looming ahead of her.

"The hell you are! Johnny no! You can't Johnny! Stop!"

Uncaring of anything except saving her brother now, Susan began unbuckling herself, trying to get up and go to Johnny.

"I love you sis. Take care of yourself. Not a bad way to go . . . in a blaze of glory!"

Then she heard a whooshing noise and she was able to turn enough to see Johnny's feet get pulled out of the hatch. She whipped her head around, and saw the missile rush past, with Johnny's hand seemingly merged with it. The fire form the rockets set Johnny ablaze, and she saw him head for the transmitter, all afire like a human torch.

Susan placed her hand on the reinforced glass in front of her. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't feel.

"Oh lord . . . Victor . . . help me . . . Reed . . . how did my life come to this . . . Oh lord, Victor I need you!" Susan whispered into the empty cockpit. In front of her the glass reflected the explosion of the transmitter. The other red light winked out of existence and the Sea Wall became a duller color. With a shudder it slowed down, and suddenly the hits from the attacking planes and battleships began to cause significant damage.

Susan however didn't see any of it, as she turned her plane around, en route to the _'Iron Doom'_ an aching in her heart that she needed to soothe immediately.

x------------------------------------x

Von Doom watched as the '_Victorious Trask'_ and '_Excalibur'_ blasted the Sea Wall Susan and Johnny had managed to hamstring with their targeted assault on its line of defense. It's main line of defense. Stupid for him not to have noticed it before. If he had… Von Doom shook his head. He had never liked second guessing himself, or regretting any action in the past. Hindsight was something he abhorred. At any rate they now knew what to do. Even so, the tide of battle was not going to swing their way anytime soon. Or at all. Already _'Omega Red'_ was falling, it's main thrusters ruptured by fire from the Sea Walls and the assault ships that the Sea Walls brought along with them. A little over half of Apocalypse's army was here, perhaps more. Even then, all of the Human High Councils forces were not strong enough to stop his army. Von Doom doubted that their nuclear arsenal would do any good. Brian Braddock had told them that Death had spoken of seeing their nuclear arsenal, and as the high ranking Debra Levin, he would have had access to their stockpiles. Von Doom had checked, but had found nothing wrong with some of them. Others had seemed… wrong to him. However, he had a plan. If Apocalypse wanted to destroy them, Von Doom would retaliate. Already three PRIME sentinels were en route to America, laden with thermo-nuclear weapons. A total of nine missiles would strike America, in strategic locations. Von Doom intended to cripple Apocalypse, if not destroy him.

A gasp, and then rousing cries of vengeance rang out in the command deck. Von Doom watched as the display showed the destruction of the Sea Wall unit. Von Doom shook his head, feeling no vindication. One Sea Wall, when there were more than a hundred more. And they had nowhere enough power to destroy them all. It was taking too long. There was too much panic. Already one transport ship had been wrecked, as frantic humans had tried to take over control of it from the pilots and get away without it being fully loaded. A waste. Then again, Von Doom would have killed all the fools who had been responsible for the destruction and wastage of time. Most of London had been evacuated by now. The other great cities had already been evacuated. All the cities that were on the eastern front. Most of the cities to the west had been destroyed. The death toll already hit seven digit figures. And was rising. Von Doom smiled sardonically. It couldn't go beyond eight digit figures. There weren't that many humans. A little over ten million? Von Doom didn't know. Apocalypse had slaughtered billions before.

"Sir." Von Doom turned to face his aide.

"What is it?" He was curt, but then he always was.

"You wished to be informed when Lady Susan arrived. She landed a few minutes ago, and is already on her way up here."

Von Doom nodded, feeling a little hint of anger at the delay of minutes it took for the news of his wife to reach him. He didn't act on it. There was no point to it. So Susan was on board. Fool woman! Had everything gone according to plan, she would have been long gone, as well as her brother, with the rest of the Human high Council. His heart warmed at the thought of seeing her again. He would have wished for nothing more than to die with her by his side.

He watched the screen again as _'Hand of Thor' _moved into position. The Sea Wall commanders had understood their tactics by now, and more and more defenses were being pulled up to prevent the destruction of the Sea Walls. However, his men had the bit in their mouth… or was it teeth? . . . and were stubbornly pressing on. He had never seen such determination to die. Von Doom applauded them silently. Their sacrifices gained precious time.

"Divert all spare power to the turbo-lasers and the micro-nuclear cannons. I want the Sea Wall destroyed."

He heard the silent _whisk_ of the door to the deck opening. His body was aware of her presence suddenly.

"Susan." He turned and was shocked. Susan's face was haggard and older than ever before. Her eyes were red-rimmed and her cheeks were blotched with tears. She walked towards him almost staggeringly, as though his presence had sapped her of the strength to move. He caught her in his arms as she stumbled, cradling her protectively against his chest.

"Oh my love . . . if I could I would take this pain from you." Von Doom had ever been articulate . . . but he meant every word with every fiber of his being. Susan nodded against his chest.

"If I had listened . . . if . . . Oh Victor . . ." She buried her face in his chest, and Von Doom held her tighter. A part of his brain thought dispassionately that his uniform must be getting ruined. He shut the thought away in anger.

"Captain . . . as the shields of the Sea Wall have been knocked down, open fire."

He would burn down the Sea Walls.

xx

Von Doom cursed silently as another Infinite committed suicide. Already the '_Victorious Trask' _was falling, burning as it fell. Only '_Iron Doom'_ and '_Hand of Thor'_ remained. And their micro-nuclear cannons had been destroyed by suicide attacks by Infinites. Masses of Infinites. They had no more firepower. They would have to use their remaining nuclear weapons. Yet even their nuclear weapons had but little more power than a sustained blast from the micro-nuclear cannons. They would not penetrate the shields. He needed good news. Susan had composed herself somewhat and stood a little to his left, focusing on the battle on the monitors. He knew that she understood their predicament as well as he.

He needed good news fast.

"Sir." He turned again, as his aide walked up, with a relieved, and yet resigned look on his face. Bad and good news. Von Doom hoped that the good outweighed the bad, but he was not optimistic.

"I have heartening news. All the transport ships are loaded and ready to evacuate. They can leave upon your order."

Von Doom sighed with relief. They could finally let loose. He understood why his aide looked so resigned. Now they could loose their nuclear weapons, without fear. They would surely die. But they would stop the Sea Walls. For a while.

"Finally. Shall I give the order sir?" G.W Bridge. George Washington Bridge. A good man with a ridiculous name. Von Doom nodded.

"Inform Moira that they must lead the Transport ships to the agreed co-ordinates. Tell her that we will give her as much time as we can."

Bridge nodded. Susan walked to him and squeezed his shoulders. They had grown taut, and the pain her simple action caused almost drove him to his knees. As it is, he only winced slightly.

"We die now Victor?"

Von Doom looked at her, branding her image into his mind . . . forever.

"Yes Susan. Now we die."

They turned and looked as one as each of their nuclear missiles were fired, aimed at destroying the shield generators and the Sea Walls both. Another smaller display showed the Transport ships and the Frigate carrying the High Council moving farther and farther away, headed in a south eastern direction. The main display showed impact, and obliteration. The screen was washed with white.

"Anti EMP shields up. The nuke's will wipe us out as well if we aren't careful." Bridge was an excellent man. Von Doom would have wanted Bridge to take over his position once he retired. If he had ever retired. The screen dimmed and then came to life again. Von Doom's eyes widened. The display showed that only four of the Sea Wall units had been destroyed. And the Sea Walls had crept ever closer. They were moving faster. Von Dooms eyes narrowed. A swarm of Infinites was forming around one Sea Wall. As he watched in horrible fascination, they swung through the air, en masse, and smashed into the '_Hand of Thor' _It was like watching a swarm of wasps attack a human. Within seconds the massive assault cruiser had been covered by the deluge.

"Sentinels! Attack the Infinites! Mass attack!" Von Doom realized his command wouldn't work. By the time the Sentinels were able to break off their own attacks and group to attack the Infinites had begun moving away, leaving the assault vessel burning, with explosions appearing all over its body. An explosion occurred near the thrusters and then the vessel exploded in mid-air, the shockwave sending the '_Iron Doom'_ careening aside, with sparks flying out of many of the controls on deck. The Infinites began regrouping before Von Dooms ship could set itself right.

However his earlier command stood, and the Sentinels attacked the Infinites. However there weren't enough. Even as the Sentinels destroyed Infinites, nearly a third of the mass that had struck the '_Hand of Thor'_ hurtled towards them. Enough to destroy them at any rate.

"All power to shields! NOW!" Von Doom hoped it would be enough. He braced himself for the impact.

They filled the screen, all sickly green hued abominations, firing at the large ship. The '_Iron Doom' _shuddered under the impact, but the shields held. Barely.

Once the onslaught was over, Von Doom shakily stood, supporting Susan.

"Status?"

His aide replied cautiously, and in a hushed tone, laced with worry.

"We're running low on power sir, the attack cost us a lot. Our turbo-lasers are down sir, and movement is severely inhibited. We barely have enough power to escape the fight."

Von Doom nodded. He looked at Susan. Even with her hair in wild disarray she was beautiful. In many ways he wondered what life would have been like for them had she remained with Reed. She smiled slightly, and squeezed his hand. Just so. With a small touch she had told him she would stand by him whatever may come. He hoped she forgave him, for he would never forgive himself for what he was about to do. But it was the only option left.

"Gentleman, Ladies. It has been an honor working with you. What I must now ask of you is something I can never give back. It is the ultimate risk in this job. Know however that you will all be immortalized by this action. We cannot escape. We cannot fight them. Not in a traditional way. We cannot defend ourselves. What we can do is buy our people time. And for that I propose that we can only do one thing. We will show Apocalypse that we never give up. We will die fighting. Think of it not as a death, but as a final attack against our opponent."

Von Doom spoke calmly, but there was a strange passion in his voice, and the people on his deck, his officers, all responded to it. As one they saluted him, even Susan.

"Bridge . . . no wait. Susan. Please. Do the honors."

Susan nodded and she walked to the steering console. She smiled at the woman sitting there and she pressed the necessary co-ordinates, and adjusted the speed. She then returned to her place next to Von Doom.

" . . . And so let our lives be a sword for our people."

Susan's breathy voice echoed across the room. In the monitor Von Doom could see the Sea Wall grow larger and larger. No shield could stop this attack.

Closer.

No Infinites could stop them.

Closer.

The Sea Walls firepower only served to heighten its own destruction.

Ever closer. The Sea Wall filled the screen.

x--------------------------------------x

Moira turned away from the sight she could see. Her heart reached out to Susan, Johnny and the others on board the '_Iron Doom', _even Victor. She watched the grim faces of the people in front of her. Von Doom was a clever man. He had crippled exactly those Sea Walls that threatened them for the next thousand miles or so. Stopped exactly those that could possibly harm them in future. She wished with all her heart that the missiles they had sent to America could be a hundred times the number, so that they could destroy all of America, all of the mutants. Even the X-men. All that remained of the billions of humans had been reduced to a few million by Apocalypse in two decades. Mutants were a curse, a curse that should be destroyed as soon as was possible. Memories of a smiling and creased face tickled her minds eye. She could almost see Xavier's face. She banished the memory however, replacing it with the images of crying children, and the death cry of a million humans.

Under the rule of the Human high Council they would persevere. And in time, assume the domination of the world that they had previously enjoyed. In time the scars would fade. Not in her lifetime. But in the lifetime of those they would build a haven for. A haven that would be pure.

x-------------------------------x

So soon. After millennia of planning, of waiting . . . it was almost within his grasp. After countless sacrifices, countless struggles; searching to find the right way . . . it was finally upon him. A world shaped by him, a world to be wielded by him, in order to create the strongest most powerful race the universe, or even history would ever see. As it was even the eldest of the old did not survive long. His lieutenant Externals, his heralds, stronger than any other mutants in power, dead. They had fallen due to their weaknesses, and only the fittest among them still remained.

Soon the X-men would come, even as the only other threat to him, the Human High Council was vanquished. His horsemen had done well. Regardless that three of the four had already fallen. Death had sown the bitter seeds of distrust and suspicion into the humans, and had managed to cripple much of their nuclear stockpiles. Beast had managed to destroy Avalon, despite having died there. The weak had been destroyed, leaving the strongest of the strong. Plague had managed to cull most of America, along with Holocaust. Only the X-men had managed to stop him. Three horsemen, each managing to accomplish the tasks set forward for them, but having been destroyed by the X-men. His horsemen had been works of art. Now only War remained, so much more than she had once been. He remembered the joy of battle Selene had provided. As the Black Queen of the Hellfire club, she had fought to the very end, unlike her faux Black king. Sebastian Shaw had not been strong, yet he had shown cunning enough to join his side without putting up resistance. Well, not much of a resistance. And his foolish actions with the alien had led to his undoing. He was still in the containment blocks, being relieved of the pain he was in much of the time. Apocalypse had never been merciful. What was the point? It only fostered weakness.

But Selene had been a far superior individual to Shaw, and was still. She had met him blow for blow at the beginning of their battle, letting loose with all her might. Her arcane mastery had served her well in that fight. It had served Apocalypse well too. He had further discovered higher reaches of his power. By manipulating his molecules in a certain way he could nullify the effects of any spell or attack Selene used against him. He had fought few as powerful as she, and few who put up as invigorating a fight. Magneto was one of those, as was Xavier. There were others, potentially as tenacious, although not as powerful.

Apocalypse shook his head. With Ozymandias and Destiny he had power over both past and the future. Time, ever his ally, had become his servant.

Apocalypse turned away form the wall hanging he had been gazing at. He moved silently, something that was unexpected for one of his size, but very useful. He heard the ring of stone on metal before he entered the hall. A hall filled from top to bottom with carvings. Carvings depicting different events, different times. Some were almost indecipherable to anyone who had no prior knowledge of events hidden in the shroud of the past. He walked over to Ozymandias, patiently carving, his blind eyes seeing nothing, and yet seeing everything. He was carving a story of victory. Victory for Apocalypse. Apocalypse could see that his Sea Walls had crushed the Human high Councils resistance. Yet Von Dooms army had managed to stall his Sea Walls until many humans escaped. Apocalypse did not mind. It was all according to plan. The strongest of the strong had escaped, and there would be bitterness in many who had lost their families. There would be hatred towards mutants, among the highest and the lowest. The strongest mutants would survive, the weak would die. In the end even the Humans would be strong enough to fit in his world. A pity Von Doom had died. He was one of the fit. Foolish of him to sacrifice himself, and the strongest among the humans to save the weaker. It was that sort of lunacy Apocalypse would rid the world of.

Apocalypse turned away from Ozymandias's incessant carving. The past and present would have to wait. Now he wished to see a glimpse of the future.

Destiny hung shackled in his war room. As always War stood at her post, watching the events of the world take place on the monitors. Sammael's ship still stood where it had been. Nearby, but not so close as to come under his security net. The X-men would be foolish to use it, foolish to assume he did not know they would use it. And yet, they had no other choice. To not use it would be suicidal. A fitting turn of events. At least it had not begun moving yet. He had time to recharge himself.

"What do you see Destiny." It was a statement, meant to be obeyed immediately. Destiny looked upwards, her blind eyes somehow staring dead into his. She was an impressive woman. A pity she had chosen to squander her talents in caring for the weak and helpless that had come to her in Avalon.

She spoke, as she had been bid. Apocalypse had taken great pains in breaking her to serve him. She served him unconditionally, if only because he would destroy Mystique if she did not. Knowing she would help him, she could not face the loss of her lover. Apocalypse had been amused at the strength of the devotion between the two women. Yet his will had been stronger. It was his will that had kept him going this long. Each External had had to have a reason to survive, or else face the infinite of a never ending life. Candra had had her pleasures, Selene her greed, Sinister his scientific curiosity and desire to create the perfect genetic structure. Apocalypse had had his will. None of the others had been as strong as he. Apocalypse had set great store by Sinister. He had hoped that Sinister would have survived longer, or finally understood his plan. Instead Sinister had denounced him a madman and fled. A pity.

"I see death, butcher. I see destruction and doom. I see the fall of the world, and you leading to it."

Apocalypse smiled. As much as she had always said. So there was further spirit there for him to crush.

His smile did the trick. Sometimes actions he had not intended to have any effect at all had the desired effect.

"I see a battle, I see a dark man stealing time from your hands, but failing. I see a shadow and a ghost stealing away the chains that bind me. I see a metal pole bending and then breaking. I see a great bird of fire and a great one eyed beast merging, and a single entity emerge, an entity that shines like the brightest light. I see a great darkness overcome the light."

Apocalypse nodded. Gibberish to anyone. Yet he understood some of it. The dark man would be this time lost anomaly, attempting to change the flow of time. The metal pole must signify Magneto. So Magneto would die. A foregone conclusion, but the mutant had survived too long and escaped too many times for Apocalypse to become complacent. The ghost would be Shadowcat, which meant the shadow would be Nightcrawler. It was simple to see that they would attempt to rescue Mystique and the others. A great bird of fire and a one eyed beast? The one eyed beast was obviously his old High Prelate, the traitor Cyclops. What was the bird of fire? Was it… the woman with Cyclops, the prisoner he had fallen in love with. Jean Gray… was she the bird of fire? How could that fit…? And what of the single entity? He did not know. Still, he had not known the future for five millennia. Not knowing something as small as this would not matter much. He set no great store by Destiny's words. Knowing the future was one thing. Yet Destiny saw but some of many futures. He would use Destiny's words as a guide instead. A sign that the X-men would be attacking soon. He would prepare for their arrival. He had not visited the Death Camps in quite some time.

x----------------------------------x

Patience had never been a strong point for Logan. In all his years, waiting had been an anathema to him. He had never liked waiting. Even when he was on the hunt, and the animal inside him was ready to loose. Right now he felt like exploding. Ever since he had seen Mariko again, and found out what she was . . . Logan simply wanted to move on in life, and forget the past. Interesting considering he had always wanted to know about his past. Then again some things were best forgotten. But then, many things were those that shaped his life, shaped who he was, and he would never wish to forget them.

He had been primed for an attack on Apocalypse's Tower, and had failed against Sinister, who while a powerful opponent, and devious to boot, was still not Apocalypse. And then Gumbo had died killing Sinister, and that had shot Rogue and Ororo to hell. Logan doubted either would ever get over that. Rogue had given up on Gambit in many ways, not even considering attempting to rescue him from the enslavement he was surely facing at the Tower. It was strange, and now Logan thought of it, even Magneto would have jumped at the chance. Then again no one knew he was still alive. They had assumed he had died against the Tower forces. Yet Rogue had known, it had become apparent when he had been talking to her, trying to comfort her earlier.

Logan bit down on the cigar in his mouth . . . calling something so small a cigar was stretching it, but it a similar blend of tobacco to that he had enjoyed years ago, before Apocalypse's initial assaults. Luxuries like a cigar had become few and far between after that. Jean hadn't liked them either, refusing to kiss him until he had washed the taste out of his mouth. Logan bet Scott didn't smoke. He shook his head. He was over this, he had gotten over it a long time ago. No use hashing up something that was dead and gone. He still loved Jean, that would never change, but what Jean and Scott had was special. And Jean was happier than Logan had ever seen her.

All of which had no bearing on why he was impatient. It had been more than two days since they had fought Sinister. It was time to move. Logan's every instinct screamed at him to move. And yet Magneto delayed. Logan had already checked out the new kid, who Magnus was worried about. He had also noticed something no one else had. The attitude Scott and Jean had adopted towards the kid. They acted like his parents, no . . . stronger . . . they knew they were his parents, and even more confusingly the kid returned the feeling. Nate knew he was their son. It was strange. Magnus worried that the child was too powerful, which he may well be. The kid had gone toe to toe with Holocaust, and had survived a full on micro-nuclear blast. Even Magnus had trouble handling something as powerful as that. The kid was powerful, and more importantly he was a psi. And according to Betsy and Emma, immensely strong. Near limitless power they had said. And they had smelled scared. Yet Jean and Scott accepted him as a son. Logan did not know what it meant, only that if Jean accepted the kid, it was good enough for him. As far as he was concerned the kid was welcome to join them.

Still, the council Magnus had called should decide matters finally. If not . . . well Logan would go and attack the Tower on his own. Maybe he'd be able to stick Apocalypse once or twice. Logan chuckled, biting down on his cigar. Stick ol purple lips . . . That would be fun. Still, Logan was nothing if not a survivor. He dismissed that idea out of hand.

"Logan's looking grim and evil again." Logan grunted as he heard Warren laughing at Bobby's sally. The Popsicle was sometimes too much of a jokester for his own good. Life as an X-man had toughened him, but he still retained the jokester spirit that had made Logan's life hell until he threatened to chop Bobby's head off. Warren was a tough man. Logan had never gotten along well with him . . . probably because he saw much of himself in the tough golden haired rich boy. All of Warrens softness had been shorn off by life, especially after he lost the love of his life, Candace Southern in one of the pitched battles between Apocalypse and Thunderbird Ross in one of the last battles they had fought in New York, the series of battles that ultimately culminated in Apocalypse taking control over New York. Warren had been young then, and the X-men recently formed. Before the battle, Warren had been carefree, and as close a prankster to Bobby as was possible. After . . . after the battle Warren had changed completely. His sense of humor had taken years to return, and it was only after Bobby replaced Sean Cassidy's fine Scottish whiskey with salted water that Warren had laughed again. 'Operation: Tee-total' was what Bobby had called it. Logan remembered those days well. It had been less intense, and death had still seemed something far away to most of the X-men. Most of them, not all. He had known very well what death was, as had Xavier, Magnus, Sean, and surprisingly Jean. Jean had lost someone when she was young. Strange that it had been Scott, still alive and well and allied to their greatest enemy.

"And what about ya, ya little popsicle. Still blue?" Bobby chuckled , and Logan cursed himself for the weak reply. He was generally better at word games. He grunted as Warren laughed harder, and elbowed past them into the meeting room.

It was almost full Logan realized, with only Victor and the girl, and Shiro, Magnus and Rogue missing. The others were arranged around the room, sitting in groups or as a couple. The big mad mutant, Bishop sat alone by the table, his hands folded. By his words he should be insane, yet Logan smelled no madness from him, no smell of sickness. In fact Logan generally smelled determination and at times confusion when he saw something happen. A strange man. Betsy and Ororo sat together talking in hushed whispers, Ororo's head bowed. Still grieving . . . Logan thought. Helena sat with Kurt, Kitty and Peter, talking animatedly. That group was always optimistic, although Logan didn't understand Helena's involvement. He had never thought of them as being particularly friendly. In fact Helena barely talked to anyone but Betsy. Scott and Jean sat with the kid, Nate, talking seriously. Something was definitely up, there. Pietro was talking to Sean, and Wanda and Emma were talking by the table. Something about the snug fit of some new brassiere that some woman on the Hybrid had cooked up.

Logan smiled wolfishly.

That was a nice image to dwell on. He acknowledged some of the X-men's waves, and nods, with a nod of his own. He then sat down by Emma and Wanda and smiled at them. They turned to look at him, slightly coolly.

"So . . . continue. I ain't bothering ya." Logan settled back in the chair, grinning around his cigar.

Emma and Wanda gave him a look that only women knew how to give. Logan had lived for over a hundred years, but he still flushed under that look. It was a look that was inbred in women, or passed down over the years, either way, it was damnably effective.

Logan was about to get up when the doors opened and Warren and Bobby walked in, followed by Magnus, Rogue and Shiro. Shiro took a seat by Scott, Jean and Nate, although still giving them some space. A hard man, and honorable to a fault. Logan liked him. His values were ones to be proud of. Rogue held a bundle in her arms. Baby Charles . . . looked like Chuck was going to be involved in some way or another in the final battle.

"Where are Sabretooth and Blink?" Magnus looked around the room searchingly. No one seemed to know. At that point the door opened again, and the two walked in, the girl giggling over something Victor said. Victor tossed out a "Hey Runt" in passing. Logan simply grunted. It was a change, not fighting Victor for once, but it seemed right. Their enmity had been wiped out by the simple adage that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Apocalypse was the real enemy here, and Victor knew that, as well as Logan. It hadn't been easy, since his instincts had wanted him to tear out Victors throat, but it had gotten a lot easier after that first fight against the Inhuman zombie-like creatures that had nearly swamped him. One hell of a lot easier.

"Now that we're all here . . . We suffered a loss recently. We lost a friend, someone we all loved, someone we all respected. And someone most of us trusted, which is something to talk about, since Remy was a thief. He was a good person, and I was proud to have once called him… friend."

Logan had to give Magnus credit. He glossed over their fight without really mentioning it, and he summed up their feelings towards ol' Gumbo well. They did love him, especially Ororo and Rogue, and they did respect him. And all would trust him with their lives, if not with their wallets. Logan had been robbed by Remy one time too many to trust him with something like that. He glanced at Rogue. Her eyes were bloodshot, but she was holding her baby close. Almost like a lifeline. He sort of understood her feelings. He had always been sure that if not for the bond forged between Magnus and Rogue in the early days, she and Remy would have been together today. But then a lot of things might never have happened. Some good, some bad. Like everything in the world. Though this world had had a lot of the bad. Logan wanted to put some good back into it.

". . . sacrifice helped in defeating Sinister, as dangerous and powerful an enemy as any other. Potentially as dangerous as Apocalypse himself. However our path is now clear. Of the Externals we have Exodus and possibly Candra to worry about. Holocaust will still be healing from the beating given by young Nate. And then there is War. The Prelates we should be well matched against, and the Rooks and the rest of the mutants should not be a problem. Remember that we must give no quarter. Our plan is simple. We use Sammael's ship to enter the Tower. Now Cyclops-s and I have talked on this, and I agree with him that it would be far better to use Sammael's ship as both transport for us and a diversion. We will go to Apocalypse's Tower in it, and when near enough, Blink shall teleport us inside, near the main walkway connecting the Tower to the main generators. The ship shall meanwhile be set on a course to smash into the Tower. We'll set it to full shields and full thrust, diverting some attention from. If we are lucky it will strike the other side of the Tower from us."

Magneto paused for breath, and then continued.

"At this point we shall divide ourselves. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat will go on a reconnaissance mission to the containment cells. They should lie directly below where we land. Free as many prisoners there and cause general havoc. That should divert significant attention. Bishop will infiltrate the main Tower, to head for Apocalypse's personal quarters. From what Cyclops has told us, that is where Apocalypse stored some of his alien technology. At full charge Bishop is capable of time travel. He can wield temporal energies, however he needs considerable power to do so. Bishop knows that Apocalypse has technology capable of sending one such as he back and forth in time. In other . . . 'worlds' he had these machines, and Bishop used them once. Bishop shall attempt to seek out this device and use it. Until then the rest of us will occupy the rest of the forces aligned against us."

He stopped, for a second, and then continued. What he said next caused Logan to grunt volubly.

"I will also challenge Apocalypse. I have fought him before, and once he is occupied, Bishop should not have too much trouble finding a way into the heart of the Tower."

Several of the X-men rose in protest against this, including Rogue. Magnus had not told everyone his entire plan then. Bishop looked unsurprised. Little Chuck began crying.

"Quiet . . . the baby is getting disturbed. My decision is final! None of you have the power to fight Apocalypse on you own, except perhaps you young Nate, but your power is untamed, and against Apocalypse raw power is not sufficient. I will do this because it must be done. The rest of you must handle the others. Now rest my X-men. We leave in a few hours."

Magnus strode out of the room, leaving the rest of them behind. Rogue handed the baby to Wanda and hurried out after Magnus. Logan sat drawing on his cigar. He intended to enjoy it. It might even be his last.

x------------------------------------x

Things had gone form being routinely boring to almost interesting in the last few days. From Deathbirds . . . well death, and Shaw's incarceration, to the launch of the Sea Walls and loss of two more horsemen, to the execution of Candra. Things had gotten very interesting. And now the Haven had been destroyed, and its owner Karma imprisoned. As well as Scarlet Mackenzie. Their 'illustrious' High prelates mistress. And she had talked. She had even admitted to being pregnant, with the babe of Alexander Summers. Apocalypse had not found out, to Beasts knowledge, but Polaris had, and she had been extremely incensed. Veritably livid. And she had stormed out of his little laboratory with her fists glowing with power. Beast was glad Alex had summoned Karma and Scarlet to his office. He had hated cleaning up blood form the walls. Beast did not mind blood as such; it was just annoyingly hard to get out of the little grooves in the walls.

This had been five minutes ago. Very likely Alex Summers was about to be inflicted grievous bodily harm. If Beast was lucky enough he might even get Alex's body when Lorna was done. The precious Summers blood that Sinister had always raved about.

"Oh my yes, Henry old boy. Mama McCoy's little boy is going to get a rather propitious present." He rubbed his hands together in glee.

IN his deep sanctum, where no one would bother him, the Dark Beast, as he was known among the other mutants that roamed Apocalypse's tower, walked around his domain. He had carefully retained all information that could be salvaged form Sinister's laboratories. However the old mutant had managed to conclusively destroy much of his data.

Over a century of knowledge, data and information, all gone . . . what a waste. Beast sniffed. He hated the idea of the loss his field had faced. He was first and foremost a geneticist, and he would do anything at all to experiment with genes. The rush that the creation of life gave him was something that nothing else could give so easily. The Dark Beast had a vast intellect, in many ways equal to Sinister's. However Sinister had had the experience that Beast lacked. Now… that experience was gone forever. However Beast had managed to recover some DNA samples from Sinister's labs. The structures he had managed to map form those samples had been of two very different people. One Beast had easily placed as a sample of Remy Lebeau, better known as Gambit, and Candra's ill-fated bodyguard. The Infinites had lost him in the tunnels, but they had collapsed so much more of the catacombs, that gaining entry to the Tower was now impossible. What had always bothered him about the catacombs was how they provided near anyone with a direct entry route to the Tower. It was unlike Apocalypse to overlook something like that.

Which beget the question as to why Apocalypse had overlooked it, and ordered the collapse now? Beast didn't know the answer to the question. But he had given up trying to fathom the workings of Apocalypse's immensely complex machinations. All Beast cared was that Apocalypse gave him the freedom he needed to continue his experiments.

Gambits unique signature had been easy to find and complete, but the other posed a problem. Looking at it now he could see the parts of it that he had highlighted with a special color on the hologram. Those parts were those that he found familiar, yet not. In many ways Beast had begun to suspect much of what Sinister had been up to. He was capable enough to know that the DNA structure held the potential for near unlimited power. Power that could more than rival Apocalypse's. He had compared the DNA of subject: Nathan with those of Alex Summers, and found potential matches. Yet nothing matched it in quite the same manner.

It was then that the idea had come to him. Scott Summers. The ex-High Prelate. Unfortunately there was little information to be found on the favored son of Sinister. Even when Cyclops had been deemed a traitor, Sinister had refused to allow anyone to keep a set of his DNA matrix. At first Beast had thought it was some sort of protectiveness. However he was now certain that Sinister did not want anyone else to see the potential in Scott Summers DNA. Looking now at the DNA structure of Jean Gray, troubled thoughts began to grow in his mind.

He had to get his hands on Scott Summers DNA. The potential that subject: Nathan showed was nothing short of astounding. And if he could work on it, perhaps mold it, he could achieve genetic perfection. Ah the marvelous Summers gene's. I understand now why Sinister was so preoccupied with them . . .

Beast walked out of his lab, leaving behind cries of moaning anger and sorrow.

And Beast knew how to get the DNA of Scott Summers. Getting it from the subject itself would be difficult of course, especially considering if he did ever meet Cyclops again, it would be as an adversary. However getting it from the one person Sinister and Cyclops had both trusted would be easy. Although it would be fairer to say that Sinister had not been suspicious of her motives towards himself. Sinister had not trusted Beast at all. Such was life in the Tower. Yet she trusted no one but her charges. Her necessity was something everyone knew, but did not talk about. Very few people in the Tower were willing to put their lives in Beasts hands. Beast understood why in a way. He had a tendency to get sidetracked while operating on anyone, and begin to experiment. Still . . . Cecilia Reyes would give him Scott Summers DNA. One way or another.

x-----------------------------x

Upon finding out of Scarlet's condition he had had both Scarlet and Karma brought to him. He had also asked the two guards outside his office to keep out anyone short of Apocalypse or anyone higher rank than him. Right now his gaze was focused on the two women in front of him.

Karma stood as proudly as she was able, her normal gown tattered, and her somewhat oriental features were slightly bruised. Her eyes as always shone like steel, the gleaming confidence ever present. Scarlet stood slightly hunched over, sagging with unspeakable pain and hopelessness. To him she was as beautiful as ever. And he wanted her as much as ever. Yet below his lust lay an under-layer of tenderness. He wanted to comfort her, chase away her fears. And yet he could not. To keep his position he must destroy her, and all evidence of her position. He spoke, his back ramrod straight, his posture militaristic, as befitted his rank. He never realized how much like his brother he was then.

"So . . . attempting to let humans escape America. A serious crime, helping those Apocalypse has deemed unfit. Did you believe you could get away with this? Apocalypse has had his eye on you for a long time. You were allowed to operate the Haven as a favor to your aid in procuring this region. And because the Haven provided entertainment for many of the Elite. You were lucky to be below Apocalypse's notice before this. If not for other more pressing matters, he would have crushed your operation already, for it is a waste of resource. Unless you can convince me now of your future dedication to Apocalypse, you will be executed."

Alex stood behind his desk, his arms behind his back. Shackled before him were Scarlet and Karma. He had avoided looking at Scarlet directly, and his attention was all on Karma. The woman had not said a word since being shoved into his office . . . humph, his 'office'. More like a small room adjacent to the Security Control Centre, provided for his comfort. And to escape the monotony of the monitors showing the same thing again and again.

Karma had her head bowed, and there a slight tremble along her shoulders. Xian Coy' Manh. A foolish woman, to allow herself to be snared in a trap such as she had. And more fool him for getting snared in a trap of even greater proportions. His eyes unwittingly traveled over to Scarlet, and then snapped back to Karma quickly. Scarlet was not bowed anymore, and her gaze was on him.

Then Karma looked up, and in her was the same steely confidence.

"All right, so I was caught. But you've been caught too. And you're in a worse dilemma than me. If Apocalypse were to find out about your affair with Scarlet here, you would likely lose your position, and perhaps even your life."

Alex smoothed his features from the shock that had etched onto them, as well as anger. He was a bigger fool than he had thought. Of course Karma knew, and she would use her knowledge to bind him more surely. Unbidden his mind flashed a thought. Scott would never have this problem. Immediately he quashed the thought, and his rage built to greater levels. Scott had had a worse problem! And he had gotten out of it alive, his thoughts mocked him. But he had become a traitor, lost all the respect his position had garnered him. He, Alex would not be destroyed as his brother was!

"You play a dangerous game Karma. There is nothing stopping me from killing you both right now." Alex spoke softly, letting his tone underline his seriousness.

Karma's gaze was still steely. Scarlet had begun to tremble however. Alex wanted to soothe her, and he cursed inwardly at his weakness. No! He would not give in to temptation.

"I see. Of course, you can kill us now, but that will not rid you of the problem. Her status is already in the records, and the Dark Beast knows of your… affair. He would be sure to use it against you. By killing her you would destroy your only chance to be free from suspicion. I can help you. I can destroy the problem from within her. All I ask is that you set me free. Aid me in disappearing from the Tower."

Alex considered her words. What she said was true.

"You can't! Karma, you never said anything about killing my baby!" Scarlet looked shocked, and her voice was ragged. "I . . . Alex you can't be considering this! This is our child Alex! You can't let her kill our child!"

Alex couldn't help but look into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes. He was caught . . . yet his position was at stake.

"Do it. Kill the child. I guarantee your freedom." Karma smiled at his words. Scarlet let out an anguished cry and began thrashing at her chains. Alex felt cold agony grip his heart. He had to do this . . . for his position he had to destroy his transgressions.

"Don't resist it Scarlet, it is not your mind. You cannot help your child." Scarlet began pulling at her chains, screaming. Karma frowned, and her eyes began glowing. Scarlet's eyes began to glow the same color, and her stomach sucked in abruptly, Scarlet's mouth opened in a shrill cry of pain. Before Alex knew what he was doing his hand clamped down on Karma throat.

"Release her! Now!"

Scarlet's eyes lost their glow, and she sagged as far as her chains would allow. Karma's eyes didn't lose their glow however.

"You are a fool High prelate." Then she narrowed her eyes again, and Alex felt a feather light probe in his head. Then he began to see with double vision; superimposed on his line of sight was another, as though he was seeing out of two different eyes, and he knew that he saw what Karma saw. He could see himself doubled over in agony, and his eyes beginning to glow. He resisted by going through all the exercises Sinister had taught him of blocking out telepathic invaders. His sight cleared slightly. He could almost see himself struggle upright and point a fist at Karma. Karma cried out in anger and determination, and Karma's line of sight began to become clearer. No! He focused all his strength, and he felt the release of his power. Half his vision exploded into white light, and then the probing touch was gone from his mind, and he could see properly. He lay gasping on the floor, and his head was pounding. Scarlet. He crawled over to her and pulled her in his arms. She lay crying against him.

"I'm sorry . . . I couldn't let her do it." In his mind he knew he should kill her. Logically that would be the best course for him to take. But his heart would not allow it, the same way his heart did not allow him to leave Lorna. He loved her too, as much as Scarlet. He did not know what to do . . . Perhaps Cecilia could help. He had not been to see her for a long time.

Suddenly the door to his office trembled and then collapsed as though some unseen force had crushed it. A body crumpled beside the doorway, blood pouring out of every pore. Lorna, Alex thought dully.

"So . . . there she is . . . and here you are." Lorna's voice was cold, as though she was blocking out all emotion. Not like before, when she had been visibly angry. Alex knew Lorna was controlling her emotions.

"Lorna . . . I . . ." There was nothing he could say to her.

Lorna floated over to where they lay, and looked over to where blood was plastered to the wall, and half of Karma's face lay in a corner.

"Getting rid of the evidence Alex? Or the spectators? I already know about your affair, and about the baby."

Alex felt something grab his body, and then his desk encircled him, holding him fast. Loran bent down and cupped Scarlet's chin, pulling her up to her height, breaking the chains in the process.

"So this is Scarlet . . . looks like you share some of your brother's weaknesses Alex." Lorna's voice was laced with slight malice, yet she still seemed cool. Unemotional. Yet he knew she was angry. He could tell by the whiteness of her knuckles.

Scarlet trembled in her grasp, and her eyes were wide with fear, and unshed tears shimmered in them.

"Let her be Lorna . . . Your fight's with me." He hated being constricted. And he was angry too. The desk shattered into atoms before a surge of his power, and he stood, slightly woozily, and stared at Lorna.

"Fight? But what do we have to fight about Alex? I am simply here to judge you. After all, it is a crime to procreate with a human."

Alex moved forward slowly.

"I will kill you before I let you destroy me Lorna." His heart screamed 'liar!' at him. But he damped it down ruthlessly. No, his heart had gotten him into this mess, and he had to listen to his mind now.

"I love you Lorna. I don't want to fight you." Strange, especially coming after what he just said. But every word was true. Yet Alex knew he would kill her if she threatened him. Just as he would kill Scarlet if need be.

Lorna looked at him.

"Fine then . . . prove that you love me. Kill her." Alex looked at Scarlet, saw her gaze turn to him, her begging him to save her.

He loved them both, and yet he loved his position as well. He had worked so hard… and he would not be the same as his brother! Scott was a traitor, and someone he hated with all his heart. He would be loyal, and then he would be the ruler. Never would he allow anyone else to dominate him. The way his brother had dominated him. Soon, he would be the dominant one.

"All right." His face grim he raised his fists. Scarlet's lips trembled, and a small moan escaped her lips. He had to kill her . . . he had to kill her . . . His fists moved towards Lorna's face, and Scarlet's eyes softened in relief. Lorna's face tightened and he felt energy swirl around her. He could kill Lorna, but she would as likely kill him at the same time. He smiled at Scarlet, knowing what he must do. At least she's smiling at me. I never want to forget that smile. Alex thought to himself, and then moved his fists again, and with a cry of desperation and rage he let go, and plasma surged from him. Her smile had not faded into surprise quite yet when his power hit her, blasting through her.

He controlled his voice as he turned to Lorna.

"It is done . . . "

Lorna smiled grimly.

"Yes . . . it is my love." Her smiled changed to a frown suddenly, "but you betrayed me . . . and I can't ignore that."

Her stance shifted, and Alex knew she was getting ready to fight him.

"Don't think I won't kill you either Lorna. I've already killed someone I love. I loved Scarlet, if not so much as you. I love you, but I won't hesitate to kill you." He knew that she also knew the futility of fighting. A fight between them would likely leave one of them dead, more likely him, and even more possibly leave them both dead. In the frame of mind he was now in however, he would kill her, and without hesitation, while she would hesitate in killing him. That gave him an edge at the moment. His heart cried at him to try and talk to her, and yet his heart also cried for vengeance, at what he had just done. He could not think about it, or he would surely make a mistake.

Lorna moved slightly, and he felt the build up of energy. She wanted to fight. The devil take her then. He crouched warily.

Suddenly an alarm rang out, and Samuel Guthrie ran into the room, not even pausing to glance at the guards, or the remains of Scarlet and Karma.

"Sir! It's an attack! Sammael's ship is heading directly for us! The X-men are coming."

Both Lorna and he stood straight immediately. He glanced at her, and she gave him an arch smile. This wasn't over yet.

"This isn't over yet Alex . . . once we deal with the X-men we'll . . . talk . . . again. Right now . . . Magneto is more important."

Despite her anger at him, her voice dipped into far more hatred at the mention of Magneto. The leader of the X-men had killed the man she considered a father, and her hatred for him went into near obsession. At the thought of the X-men's attack, Alex wondered if Scott would be there. White hot rage flashed through him again. His personal problems added fuel to his anger, and his determination to see Scott dead. If Scott was here . . . Alex would make him wish he had never been born.

x----------------------x

The Tower grew closer with the passing of every second. He could see it coming closer through the large display. Looking at it again after almost a year, Cyclops wondered if he should feel anything. Yet there was nothing. No affection, no hate, nothing. It was just another target. He had wondered if he would need to block out his feelings while attacking, but he felt nothing. The Tower was nothing to him, and he realized he had finally laid his old life to rest. He had finally put it all behind him. A pity it had happened just before what was most likely a suicide attack. Despite all their planning, Cyclops was sure that not just he, but also Magneto realized that nearly none of their plans would work. Hell, he was sure the X-men were certain of it. Still they followed Magneto. Cyclops wondered if anyone would ever follow him out of simple devotion.

You have me silly . . . The thought rang in his head, a little sternly, a little harshly, a little teasingly. Paradoxical, but oh so Jean.

He turned to see her moving her arms in circles, slowly. Limbering exercises. Another thing that Weapon X had taught her.

"Don't Scott. Stop angsting." Jean had stopped, and was looking at him exasperatedly.

Cyclops smiled, "not angsting Jean. Just an observation."

Jean shook her finger at him.

"Like hell . . . You were angsting before, with your whole, 'oh this is a suicide mission', and your 'woe is me for not having time' . . . just stop angsting Scott. Live in the moment. Live in the same flow as me."

Cyclops watched her, not saying anything. She was right, he never did stop angsting. No one who lived for the future would ever stop angsting. Still…

"Hmm . . . I suppose. This might be our last moment together, in relative peace. Let's make the most of it." He reached for her, and she came to his arms, fitting snugly against his chest armor.

"I can't feel you properly through this." The words were thick on his tongue. He wanted out of the armor, but they were too close to the tower. He wanted more time. Time was a luxury he had never had though.

"I know . . ." Her voice was muffled against his chest. She leaned up and kissed him gently.

"OH yeah . . . there was one thing I wanted to tell you. You're not the only one who's changed, pal. You've also changed me. In so many ways. It's like a rebirth. You've also made me realize something. I'm the only X-man without a moniker, or a codename. It seemed sort of silly earlier, because there was no need for secrecy. But I want one. And I think Phoenix is the one I want. To symbolize my rebirth. Besides, you don't get to be the only mythical beast then."

Her nose touched his slightly. She smiled and broke apart.

"Now . . . let's get ready and join the others. How's your arm?" An automatic question, and one she had already asked him ten times on this day. And a hundred times since he woke up after spending time in healing.

"It's fine." He flexed his left arm again. He still wore the gauntlet, if only because it was a good piece of armor, and also served as a boost to his physical attacks. It would not serve the same purpose as before. Only the right gauntlet still allowed him to channel his optic blasts through his fists. The left was merely armor and padding now. Merely. Sinister couldn't have chosen a better material. It was thick, yet not heavy, and dense enough to dent steel. And the funneled ruby quartz running through them gave it a hollow structure making them easy to maneuver. Cyclops was used to them by now. He had been wearing them almost constantly for nearly a year.

"Phoenix . . . it's a good name. I . . . love you Jean. I hope you always know that."

She looked at him for a little while, then smiled.

"I know. I hope you know the same goes for me. I love you too Scott. Sometimes I don't think you realize how much. Now come on. It's time."

Cyclops nodded, and took her hand.

They entered the bridge together, watching the Tower loom in the distance. It sped closer though, until they had passed through the safety nets; the region of security that gave a red alert to the Tower of any hostile craft approaching it.

"It's time my X-men. Blink if you will please."

Blink nodded at Magneto, and moved forward, then one of the energy daggers she carried spun out of her hands and blinked into a great void that opened into nothingness. Beyond that void was the Tower.

"This is it. You all know what to do. Come My X-men. We attack." Magneto paused and his voice changed, becoming softer, "Charles . . . I do this for you . . . we do this for you . . . Bless us my old friend. Your memory will forever live on."

Magneto looked at all of them in turn, and then jumped towards the void, disappearing into its depths. Behind him went Rogue, followed by Storm, and then Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch, and then Cyclops and Jean were moving forward, followed closely by Weapon X and Nate. The bridge disappeared, and then Cyclops was in the Tower again, behind the headquarters of the Elite Mutant Force, the building that housed the Rooks and the Prelates. The courtyard that had the Tower on one side, and the Power Supply on the other. A fascinating teleportation power the girl had. While not as direct as Nightcrawlers, it was still quite useful.

"Move, quickly . . . Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, move fast. Bishop . . . I wish you the best of luck."

Magneto's gaze was penetrating as he looked at all the X-men, including Cyclops.

"It seems we have company."

From beyond the EMF headquarters Cyclops could see figures approaching, and the sound of shouts. Above them he could hear the sound of weapons firing, and then a great explosion. Sammael's ship had struck the Tower. The ground shook below their feet, but they stood their ground. Magneto, Rogue, Angel, Storm, Jean- Phoenix, Sunfire and Scarlet Witch took to the sky. They had joined battle.

Cyclops felt the adrenaline course through him, and he set himself for an attack.

x------------------------------------x

IN the seconds immediately following the explosion caused by Sammael's ship crashing into the Tower, there was chaos in the ranks of Apocalypse's Tower guards. Rooks, Prelates, Mutant Units, all panicked, and in those precious seconds, the X-men struck. While the rest of the X-men attacked the enemy, Magneto systematically tore portions of the Tower walls off, and flung them into larger groups of enemies. Bishop entered through one of these holes, levitated by Phoenix. Cyclops attacked the enemies' feet, swathing the ground using his optic blasts and his gauntlets, creating furrows as well, which further tripped up the enemies. These enemies Sabretooth and Weapon X attacked with a fury they rarely showed. No quarter was given. None would be given the X-men.

Magneto shouted commands from the skies. By him Rogue made certain no mutant made it close enough to do any damage to Magneto as he used his power to destroy the defenses on the Tower itself. The beta-class mutants were no match for Rogue, and fell before her as easily as some humans would. Rogue decapitated a mutant that had dared try to get close enough to her. Ah wish ya coulda been with us now Remy . . . Rogue thought sadly as she choked another mutant. The pain was still raw, but being with her son had healed some of that. At least she had no one else ruling her heart other than her husband. I hope you knew I always loved you . . . and I hope you've finally found your Belle. She felt as though an imaginary hand was caressing her cheek, and for an instant she imagined Remy there with them. The distraction allowed a mutant to knock her down. Snarling Magneto tore him apart, and turned worriedly to Rogue. She frowned at him. Did he think she couldn't handle herself? She'd show him. Yelling she knocked another mutant down, half burying her in the ground. Yet she still remembered Remy's laughing face.

Sunfire rained down deadly fire on all his opponents, watching them burn. His added power, and penchant for destruction made him an asset that was almost necessary. Huge odds fell easily before him. He flew across the sky, as proud as the nation he was once part of and took his revenge in the only way he knew how. One Rook dared to challenge him. Calling himself Pyro he let loose fires almost as hot as Sunfire could generate. Almost. And Sunfire absorbed fire. Laughing Sunfire took all the flame the foolish Rook, Pyro could throw at him and turned it back upon Pyro. The Rook screamed as the fire destroyed his flame thrower, and then began melting his protective suit.

"Die with honor, scum of Apocalypse." Sunfire felt no pity as he finally stopped after Pyro was a smoldering corpse. The dog had deserved to die. Had he been better prepared though, he may yet have been a worthy enough challenge. As brazen and arrogant as he was, he stood no chance. Sunfire resumed burning alive the enemy. His features contorted in a snarl though as he recognized the sound of thrusters. Infinites were here. The half man half machine demons that had laid waste to his country. With a cry of vengeance he let loose as he had never before, sending a massive swathe of flame through the sky, burning the Infinites, and narrowly missing Storm and Angel.

Angel yelled in anger as another of Sunfire's fiery waves narrowly missed him. The mutant was nearly a menace. Yet Angel couldn't argue that he was good in a battle. Sunfire had nearly killed as many Infinites and mutants as the rest of them combined. Angel wasn't very much use as an offensive attacker, so he played a guardian role in fights, his keen eyes finding and helping out those that were in the most trouble. Right now he could see that Weapon X was facing some difficulty in fighting an extremely large Rook. For some reason Weapon X was slowing down as he drew nearer to the large Rook. Leland . . . thought Angel. His father had worked with him some time in the past. He had been part of the Hellfire Club, but had joined Apocalypse. He affected gravitational fields. No wonder Weapon X was on his knees. The Adamantium would have made him even heavier than a normal man. If this continued Weapon X could likely have all his Adamantium pulled out of him through sheer gravity. Angel knew what to do. He flew higher and higher and then swooped down, and hit Leland on the back of the head, making him lose his concentration. Then, still swooping, Angel grabbed Weapon X on his way up. By this time Leland had gotten his bearings again and had begun exerting a pull on Angel. Angel knew what he had to do though. Moving with the pull he positioned himself above Leland, and then let go of Weapon X.

Immediately Leland realized what Angel intended to happen, but he was too late. Weapon X fell fast, the claws on his good hand cutting through Leland's right shoulder bone, and his Adamantium stub of a right hand smashed into Leland's left shoulder, breaking it instantly. Leland screamed, and then gurgled as Weapon X cut through his lungs. He fell with Weapon X on top of him, pulling his left hand free from his body. Angel smiled, and gave Weapon X a thumbs up, and then flew back up, his eyes searching, as keen as an eagle for anyone else needing his help.

Storm had flown higher than anyone else, and begun focusing her power. Winds swirled around her, making her hair fly in all directions, and her eyes glowed electric blue, nearly white in their intensity, and lightning seemed to spark out of her eyes. The clouds overhead thundered their protest at being commanded so, and in instants ball lightning streamed out in torrents, flying through the air and striking down any enemy mutant it came across. Lightning also streaked down form the clouds and pierced other mutants, knocking them flat, or killing them instantly.

With a cry Storm increased her power, and she became illuminated with light, and lightning spewed forth from all around her, striking all Infinites or mutants approaching her. Larger bolts even struck the Tower. Her only fleeting thought was whether Apocalypse had noticed yet, and if he would send his robotic guardians out or not.

Apocalypse's army fell in droves, and yet they came on. The X-men finally began to fall back as the numbers began to approach overwhelming. The stronger Rooks and the weaker mutant units had begun to band together under the leadership of one Rook, Cannonball, who directed them to attack in a systematic manner. And five larger Infinites, with lighter shaded armor had appeared, leading five different flights of the Infinites. Nearly a thousand Infinites, and almost a hundred mutants. Against less than twenty X-men. The X-men feared death was inevitable. Even Magneto was hard pressed to deal with so much at once, and he was focused on disabling the Tower's guns and other defenses. And they still had to take out the Power Supply. It looked bleak. It was only a matter of time before the other, more powerful mutants came out. And Apocalypse had not showed yet either. They could not fall so quickly…

With a cry a burning shape flew through the air, and all that came in his path fell to the side, their heads exploding, or falling, with coruscating energy surrounding them. Magneto gazed in wonder at something he had only once been privileged to see, in the astral plane when Xavier had once taken him there in order to heal from the mental wounds inflicted when he had fought Apocalypse. Pure psionic energy. Wielded by Nate Gray almost carelessly.

Nate had noticed his friends, and family, fall before the attack, and finally he had decided to go with the flow of his power. Instead of trying to use it, he _used _it. By instinct shields came up whenever he was under attack, and he retaliated with enough power to destroy all that attacked him. He flew straight into the heart of one of the Infinite flight, stopping before its leader. And then he struck, his psionic power darting through all the Infinites minds, burning each one by one. Infinites rained down from the sky.

The enemy mutants stared in shock as Nate destroyed a whole flight of Infinites single handedly, and within seconds. As soon as he was done however, he began falling from the sky. Her heart in her eyes Phoenix flew to him, and snatched him out of the sky, first with her power, and then in her arms. She looked worriedly at him as he bled from the nose.

Looking at her he smiled, and coughed.

"Am fine . . . just used too much power there. Just let me rest for a bit." Phoenix took him to Cyclops, and they crouched protectively over him. Weapon X and Iceman provided cover for them.

"What's wrong with him?" Cyclops looked worriedly down at the boy.

Moving more calmly than she felt, Phoenix placed her hand on his temple, and felt for any signs of mental damage. She breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that Nate had simply exerted himself more than he should have, and the extra exertion would have taxed him, as lifting a heavy weight would tire a normal man out.

She smiled at Cyclops.

"Keep him safe, he's just tired. He'll be fine, and in fighting fit condition in a few minutes."

Cyclops nodded, and they turned to face the oncoming hordes.

Banshee and Scarlet Witch fought back to back, Banshee using his sonic scream to put down any approaching mutants, or to destroy the armor plates of the Infinites, while Scarlet Witch used her arcane powers as well as her powers of affecting probabilities to both disorient and destroy the enemies around her. Whoever managed to pass through them, met with the sheer destructive power of Colossus, backed by the speed of Quicksilver, who twisted necks and used lightning fast attacks to disorient the enemies. Colossus used a simple tactic of breaking bones, or if he couldn't, then simply hurling enemies every which way. The two of them dove into the masses of oncoming mutants, while Banshee and Scarlet Witch made certain too many opponents didn't swamp them.

Banshee felt elated. They were pushing them back. If their luck held for a few more minutes, they would have destroyed more than half of Apocalypse's army before the heavy hitters actually got to them.

Then he glanced up, and he began cursing in every language he knew. For he could see the forms of Polaris and Havok approaching, and a little behind them, Exodus, Holocaust and War. Now they were in more danger than ever before. Taking a deep breath, Banshee flew to meet the Prelates.

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Banshee's attack was ineffectual for the most part. Rising like a vindictive steam kettle, his attack caused the Prelates to split apart, and Polaris to lose her grip on Havok. However before Banshee could do anything else, War met his attack, causing her sword to vibrate in opposing frequency to his voice, effectively canceling his attack. Before Banshee could adjust the frequency, Exodus had grabbed him. He looked a bit different from before. He had shaved off some of his facial hair, leaving still large, but not over-large sideburns. His eyes glittered, and then he flung Banshee aside, following his physical attack with a mental representation of it. Banshee grabbed his head and fell to the ground in a heap.

As Havok fell, he pointed his fists downwards, and used his plasma blasts to slow his descent. He landed in liquid ground that caused slight smoke to rise from his boots, but the material was resistant enough for Havok not to feel anything other than slight warmth. His eyes were fixed firmly on Cyclops though.

The X-men braced themselves for the attack of Holocaust, War and Exodus. Polaris had locked her gaze onto Magneto, who was staring back calmly. However Havok moved first, raising his fists and charging Cyclops.

Cyclops stood his ground.

"Alex . . . we don't have to fight . . ." Cyclops really didn't want to kill his brother, but he knew Havok… and he knew that they would probably end up fighting to the death as well . . . still he had to fulfill a brotherly responsibility.

Havok let loose, and Cyclops was forced to duck aside.

"Come on Alex! Our powers won't work against each other anyway! You know it as well as I do!" Cyclops bit off a curse as another Havok let loose another volley. Havok cackled and then swore.

"You'll pay for your crimes brother _dear_! And then I'll prove once and for all that I'm the better Summers! You had everything, but you were weak! You . . .Die!" Havok's face was twisted with rage and contempt. He let loose with all he had, and Cyclops finally fired back, from both his visor and his gauntlet. The beams met, one pure crimson, one pure plasma. They met, and seamlessly blended together, until it seemed as though one bi-colored beam locked the two brothers together.

They circled warily, each putting more and more power into their attacks, until the point where the beams met began to glow brighter and brighter.

"Be careful . . . Cyclops!" Phoenix cried out as the sphere of energy where the two beams met began to shimmer and then exploded. The wave of energy spread in a sphere, knocking down everyone. All the combatants on the field, or in the air, whether X-men or Apocalypse's forces were flung back. Metal crumbled before the attack, or warped. The connecting tunnel that fed energy to the Tower was damaged as well. In seconds the battlefield had become a wasteland; as though an earthquake had passed through it.

BAHAHAHA. . . Well… Yes yes, I know I went all top gun for a bit, and the whole Johnny and the missile thingy was contrived… but who cares? I got the scenes I wanted….Hit me back, lemme know, what you thought, what you feel.

And prolly in a bit I shall post up the finale finale to the finale.

And it shall be cool. And there shall be joy for many…. Especially me… my hands getting damn tired!

Oyez…

I cool.

U sheep…

And that is the long and short of it.

Boobles!


	13. My Immortal: Part III: Even in Death

Again, I'll apologize for the BIG gap between the updates for this story. I've been at this last part for most of a year and a half now. What can I say? Life sucks.

Anyway . . . have fun. OH and I'm done with the X-men, the regular series I mean. The stories suck, they've brought back Jean and killed her again, House of M was kind of stupid, not one of Bendis's finer moments in my opinion. Civil War is kinda nice though. Although the X-men got a fail bit part in it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the X-men. Marvel does. This story is mine! Inspired totally by the Age of Apocalypse (the original crossover from 1994/1995. I hated the recent miniseries.)

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**My Immortal III: Even in Death**

The X-men lay scattered across the field, and in various parts of the Tower. No one had been spared, not even Apocalypse's forces. Emma Frost slowly got up looking around her. She rubbed her head, and silently cursed the two Summers brothers. . . Their stupid power play had knocked down all of them, as well as destroying the walls of the Tower and Power Supply. She brushed off the dust on her spotless white leather dress. On top of Kevlar of course. . . showcasing was all well and good, but she had to be prudent as well. She adjusted her elastic headband, white of course, and looked around. She was inside the Tower proper then. . . and somewhere near the Infirmary form the slightly dusty signs she could see. Light flickered on and off. . . the Power Supply had been effected it seemed. Not much of the infirmary would be left now, especially considering the amount of damage everything else had taken.

She moved slowly. No one else was in this area apparently. She headed for the Infirmary. . . perhaps that woman Cyclops had told them about. . . the doctor at the infirmary, perhaps she was there. If so Emma could rescue her, as well as get more information on the Towers weak points. A doctor could tell a lot about the relative weaknesses of her opponents. Emma walked forward somewhat boldly. She was in no hurry to be attacked, but she wasn't avoiding it either.

A stone moved and a hulking figure suddenly loomed before her. Emma shrank back, until she realized it was merely one of the lower level mutants. Low-powered even for a beta class mutant.

With a dismissive wave of her hand Emma shut off the mutants mind. No sense in wasting time with cannon fodder. The mutant had caught her slightly unawares though. It had gotten up rather quickly. Emma decided she'd move a little more cautiously.

She stopped suddenly hearing footsteps coming from the direction of the Infirmary. She steeled herself as the footsteps grew louder, and then relaxed. It was merely Psylocke and Helena. Helena seemed agitated.

"Emma? Oh good. . . I was wondering if we'd find anyone else. . ."

Emma didn't particularly care for Psylocke, and she knew that Psylocke didn't much like her either. They were too alike, for either of their liking.

"What's the matter with her?" Emma asked indicating Helena and the growing agitation on her face, and in her movements.

"Cece is missing! That's what's wrong!!! We wanted to go look for her, but the Infirmary is trashed, and she's gone!" Helena sounded agitated as well. Emma didn't exactly understand. Perhaps the doctor had escaped after the ruckus caused by Havok and Cyclops. She said as much, but Psylocke shook her head slowly.

"No. . . it was cluttered from before the. . . altercation, and apparently the doctors been missing for a while. There was no psychic residue of anyone having been there for a while." Emma stared at her. . . psychic residue? She had never known that Psylocke could sense things in that manner.

"Well. . . then I suggest we look for her. . . she can't be all that far away." Emma took charge quickly, and the Helena immediately took point. Psylocke seemed a little ruffled, but Emma had taken the upper hand, and she had to follow quietly. Emma had to be on guard though. She had a small position of superiority, but Psylocke could quickly change that.

"The way to the Dark Beasts lab is blocked, but the way to the elevators and stairs is here. We should be able to get to the security headquarters from one of the elevators. Chances are we'll find Cece there, if she's been taken for protection from the attack."

Emma and Psylocke followed Helena deeper into the Tower. Psylocke kept on frowning and looking around. Emma wondered what was bothering her. She wondered if it was prudent to play one of those 'power' games she and Psylocke indulged in from time to time. . . Then again, maybe she'd be the winner when it was all over. She felt a slight buzz, and then a hint of something familiar, but when she looked around there was nothing. She saw Psylocke frowning at her, but she looked away. She didn't want to concede any weakness to the woman at this moment.

The large bay doors of the elevator were up ahead. Helena had stepped up to the smaller elevator doorway quickly and was already pushing some buttons. The doors opened and Helena gestured them inside. She seemed to be in a hurry.

"Are you sure that this isn't a trap or something? I mean Helena, you can't remember codes from before you left, and even if you do. . . they'll surely have changed them by now." Psylocke seemed agitated now, and even Emma was feeling a little annoyed. Helena answered them quickly.

"This doesn't need a code; it's just an ordinary transport elevator. All I did was set it's co-ordinates to take us to the security area. This elevator goes to most of the regions in the Tower, other than some of the high security ones." Helena stood tapping her heels. Psylocke put a comforting hand on her friends shoulder. Emma sighed and looked around the elevator as it moved. She wondered if it was a good idea to use anything that required power. Who knew what was happening outside? One of their major goals was to disable the power to the Tower. She didn't want to be trapped in here. Then again it was unlikely they'd remain trapped long with Helena's power over the molecules around her, letting her heat them, or cool them, and then manipulate them. Her powers had a vast scope, and Emma knew Magneto was hoping to one day take her as far as she could go. . . She wondered if that was the reason Bennet du Paris had taken her as a lover. He had always liked power. Had thrived on the power he could suck from others. Someone who could potentially create vast amounts of energy would be the perfect ally for him.

The elevator halted as Emma mused, and they got out, and then Psylocke stopped.

"What the. . . this isn't what the security area looks like? I've been there, I know!" Psylocke looked around. Emma took in her surroundings as well. They were in a dimly lit hallway, although it seemed that in this case, unlike the infirmary below, it was meant to be dimly lit. At the end of the large hallway was a large set of doors, seemingly carved into the walls, almost seeming to be one with the walls.

"No. . . you're right. . . this is. . . something else." Helena seemed unsure. She looked hesitant and then suddenly conviction grew on her face.

"No. . . I know where we are. Come this way. I know where to go from here." Helena moved forward purposefully, and Emma and Psylocke had no choice but to follow. The doors opened before them, opening into a large room, with hollows carved at fixed distances, and art pieces affixed in every hollow. What was this? Emma looked around feeling a sense of déjà vu. The room reminded her of something. . . but what?

"Where the hell is this? Helena?" Psylocke looked around at Helena, and the room. It seemed surreal that something so beautiful should exist in a place like this. Paintings form revered artists from before Apocalypse's time, and priceless vases from days long before that as well. Emma was not exactly the connoisseur of art, but her youth spent in the Hellfire Club had taught her some things. . . Sebastian Shaw would have owned something like this the thought came almost unbidden. The thought of the mutant she had once shared rule over the Hellfire Club with brought back memories that she wanted gone. A child she had been then, thinking herself powerful enough to rule the men and women there. Her powers had worked on most. A few had known her secrets though. Selene, her fellow Queen, Sinister, her white King. . . and her lover, the man who had known her most of all, who had penetrated her secrets as easily as a babies. Exodus. A telepath of power as strong as she, and a man who had known everything about her, as well as how to seduce her so thoroughly she had not even noticed his trap until Apocalypse's attack made it possible for her to know.

She sighed, thinking of days past. Exodus was out there somewhere; she had seen him before Cyclops and Havok had let loose. He. . .

Emma's eyes widened as she realized the one person who would have kept art. A Hellfire Club member, and one who appreciated beauty and Art. Sebastian Shaw had been one, as had Exodus. And Sebastian Shaw was dead, killed when the Hellfire Club was demolished.

"How perceptive my dear Emma. . . I always knew you were much more than a child, even when it was obvious to me that you were merely a child. And yet you handled yourself so well. . . very few of us back then even knew of your true power and you cunning and guile. You could have so easily been one of us Emma. . . if only Apocalypse had waited; you would have been a perfect ally to him." Exodus walked slowly across the room, his hands folded behind his back. He looked more like he had in the old days now. He had shaved off most of the beard and sideburns, and his pony tailed hair was open now, falling in sleek waves to his shoulders. He was beautiful, as always, and deadly as always.

"I now have another to amuse me though. A foolish thing, bringing her here, back to me, where my influence is beyond anything you could imagine. I took her as easily as I hid myself from you. With your pre-occupation with your childish need to be better than your allies, you both sealed your fates. I shall take no pleasure in hurting you. If you choose to join me, there shall be no need to hurt you." Exodus smiled slightly, and Emma involuntarily took a step back. She immediately thought of showing fear to Psylocke, and how Psylocke would take advantage in their power games, but then forced herself to focus on Exodus. Distractions as petty as their little power game would lead to her death. Against Exodus she needed to be completely in control of her faculties.

"You were a sick man before Exodus, a pity I never saw it. You're still a sick man, and I'd rather mate with a rabid dog than join you." Emma spoke precisely, letting her opponent know exactly how contemptible she thought him.

Exodus grinned widely.

"Emma, Emma, Emma. . ." He shook his head as if at a disobedient little child, and Emma's anger grew by leaps and bounds. He had always thought of her as a child. . . well, now he would know every iota of hate she bore him.

Before she could focus an attack however, the very wall suddenly sprang out, knocking down a priceless vase in the process. Emma knew she had to concentrate on something other than the vase, but a small part of her was still horrified at the destruction of the artifact. The wall swallowed her body easily, and held her fast, pulling her back until she was embedded firmly in the wall. Emma knew she had to put down Helena quickly, or else she was as good as dead. TO have at least a chance to engage Exodus. The External stood calmly where he had been, almost lounging, and watched Emma struggle futilely.

"Helena!!! Please, you must stop this! Fight him Helena, fight him!" Psylocke was standing by Helena, not attacking, but trying to break through Exodus's mind lock. Emma snorted softly. At this rate, Emma would have the advantage in their game by far. A quick psi-bolt knocked Helena reeling, and then Emma was running, bearing down on Exodus both physically and mentally.

Exodus's smile widened, and then he seemed to flow forward. He caught her easily in his arms, and held her at arms length. Each of Emma's telepathic attacks was successfully parried, almost negligently parried. Emma focused harder, but it was no use. Exodus was a stronger psychic, and he had years of experience, centuries of experience. Emma's training could not really compare. And then Emma felt the cold grip of Exodus's power grab her, and she felt her power draining out of her. At the same time she felt Exodus begin to reverberate with power. Her mind screamed as she struggled weakly in his grip. Suddenly Exodus let her go, and turned, a shimmering sword made of pure psychic energy in his hand, successfully parrying a strike by Psylocke's psychic dagger. His hand reached out at the same time and he grabbed Psylocke by the throat.

"Tut, tut, you should know you can't sneak up on a psychic. . . and especially not a psychic like me who can't just feel your thoughts, but also you power. . . oh yes. . . such beautiful power." His voice lingered over the last three words, almost caressing them. Psylocke struggled in his grip too, but it was no use; Emma could see Psylocke grow weaker, and Exodus stronger. Emma shook her head dazedly. She could barely concentrate, but she had to get up. They didn't have a chance against him without Helena's help, Emma knew that. But Helena hadn't responded to any of Psylocke's efforts. Perhaps her own would be more use.

Emma looked around and found Helena getting up as her psi-bolt's effects wore off. Her nose bled slightly. A good sign. It meant Helena was attempting to break free of Exodus's control. Emma tried to reach into her mind, but found it blocked. Exodus had placed very strong barriers there, and Emma knew breaking them down would take time. Time they didn't have.

She turned and sent subtle probes into Exodus's mind, but found it shuttered from her as well. Exodus had planned this very carefully it seemed. Impressive considering he'd have only had a few minutes. And the ease with which he'd taken over Helena was unnerving. Then again she'd been a near slave to him before as well.

Perhaps a distraction could work.

"A pity you don't have much taste, despite all your power." Exodus was vain. . . perhaps she could hurt his artistic sense. . .

"I mean. . . I'd expect someone like Gambit, or Weapon X to collect horrible art, such as these vases you have here, but you? Exodus, among the last of the Crusading knights? You're almost as old as some of these 'art' pieces you have, and yet. . . a pity isn't it?"

Exodus turned to look at her, and Emma knew that despite his confidence, she had managed to strike some sort of nerve.

"These pieces were priceless family heirlooms . . . as I'm sure you know. . . a nice try Emma, but I am not so susceptible to amateur tactics as this." Exodus was cool, and calm. He meant every word. But his momentary focus on her was all the time Psylocke needed. Her fist clenched as she managed to focus her will for enough time to create another psionic dagger, and she raised it to plunge into Exodus's head. He grabbed her arm quickly and stopped it nearly half a foot short of its mark.

"A very nice try. . . I must revise my opinion of your abilities my dears. However, it was not good enough. . ." Exodus smiled, and slowly began forcing Psylocke's hand back. However Psylocke smiled back at him.

"I'm not done quite yet you prat." Exodus blinked at the unfamiliar insult, and then screamed as Psylockes dagger suddenly tripled in length becoming a psionic sword, and sunk into his skull cleanly. He fell back, and Emma felt some of her stolen energy pour back into her as the mental conduit Exodus had opened between himself and Psylocke exploded as a result of Psylockes psionic sword. Exodus screamed, and a psychic manifestation of his scream exploded outward, knocking both her and Psylocke to the ground. Emma struggled to get up, but could only watch as Exodus advanced on the helpless Psylocke, who was already weakened by Exodus's draining her.

"Touch her, and I'll make you wish you were never born. . . halfscan. . ." Emma turned as Helena strode through the debris cluttering the room. As she did, the very ground around Exodus suddenly reared up, and the ceiling seemed to dip down, and then Exodus's hands and body were trapped in solid matter. He struggled to move, but the molded ceiling and floor held fast.

"You've controlled me for the last time Exodus." Helena had a grim look on her face as she walked up to Exodus, and stared him in the face.

"I'll make you suffer for everyone you've ever hurt. . . starting with me!" the ground suddenly pulled down as the ceiling tried to return to its original position, both pulling Exodus along. He grimaced in pain, and then suddenly his face became blank. Then as suddenly his forehead creased in a frown.

"Enough." He spoke one word, and the solid material holding him suddenly burst apart, and then Exodus floated in mid air. His hand struck faster than a vipers, and he grabbed Helena by her forehead, and lifted her to his height. He looked at her intently, and then his frown deepened.

"You resist me. . ." His face spasmed suddenly in anger. Emma knew this was the time to help Helena and she focused her entire being in repulsing Exodus's mental attack on Helena. She could feel his powerful probes, but with Helena naturally resisting, and with Emma's help Helena was managing to repulse them. Suddenly another psychic shield materialized, bolstering Emma's own. Emma looked to where Psylocke had managed to get up onto one elbow, and was looking intently at Helena and Exodus.

Exodus's face contorted in a snarl, and then his probe split into two, and started in different directions. Emma had barely enough time to move out of Helena's mind and into her own when Exodus struck, and Emma felt blinding pain in her head. She nearly blacked out, but finally managed to repulse the attack, noting that Psylocke was just managing to repulse hers as well. She felt a little glad that she had managed to repulse it just before Psylocke. . . then shook her head in disgust at herself. . . It was because they could not work coordinately that they were in far greater trouble as well. . . if they had worked together. . . they might be in a different position.

"I have given all of you fair chances at survival, and to serve me. . . but you refuse again and again. So be it." Exodus held Helena high, and Emma could see that little rivulets of blood poured down Helena's face from the wounds created by Exodus's powerful grip.

Suddenly Emma felt a surge of power form Exodus, and then Helena jerked once, twice. . . and then thrashed in his hands like a doll being manipulated by strings. . . and then she was still.

Exodus threw Helena aside.

"Know the price for defying me. . . for daring to challenge me. Your accursed psychic sword managed to do some damage girl. . . be proud of yourself. . . if not for that attack I might have tried harder to take over Helena's mind. . ." He spoke to Psylocke, not Emma, but Emma could feel his words twist in her heart too. "Since I was disoriented by your attack, I could not, and therefore had to kill her before she hurt me. . . she was one of the few mutants who potentially can harm me. . . we shall meet again my dears. . . count on IT!" Exodus suddenly flew higher and smashed through the ceiling, showering them with more debris. Emma stared at Psylocke as she dragged herself, crying to Helena's body. She knew that Exodus had said what he had to further hurt them, as well as to shatter their confidence, and that it was a ploy. . . but his words still hurt, still left an impression on both of them. . . They had lost this battle. . . and much of the fault lay in their inability to work together. Emma bowed her head low, as Psylocke cried in grief beside Helena's lifeless body.

x------------------------------x

Sabretooth stood a little unsteadily. He had seen what was happening, heard Jean. . . no Phoenix's warning cry, and had seen the explosion occur. Faster than he had believed possible he had run toward Blink, and jumped on her, dragging her down below his nigh-indestructible body, and shielding her from any harm. He stood and looked down at Blink, cushioned by his body, and looking a little winded but none the worse for wear. A little grimy too. He helped her up and looked around. They were still outside the Tower, in the grounds between the Power Supply building and the main Tower. The ground was extremely uneven, with the walkway between the two buildings being demolished, and much of the dirt sticking up at different points. It looked as though an earthquake had torn the place apart. Lying a few feet away was the kid, Nate Gray. Sabretooth wondered for a minute as to whether he was alive, but then noticed the rhythmic up and down of his chest as he breathed. He grunted, and focused all his attention on Blink. He couldn't see anyone else in the immediate vicinity anyway.

"You alright kid?" He spoke gruffly, trying to hide his emotions behind a bluff exterior. He hated admitting it, even to himself, but Blink had slowly wormed his way into a place he had barely even known he had within him. The fragile young kid made him feel protective, and set his paternal instincts afire. Paternal. . . he thought of the kid as a daughter that was for sure. And he'd die before he let any harm come to her. Die a thousand times over, bear a thousand pains.

"Sure Mr. Creed. Juts a little crushed beneath you. . . Hehehe." Blink laughed softly. She knew where she stood with him. Which was all for the better since he had no idea how to express how he felt. Sabretooth wondered where Weapon X was. . .

You better be alive runt. . . I ain't wanna have wasted the last hundred years or somethin fightin ya again and again, just ta lose ya in some little tremor. Sabretooth sniffed the air, but apart form dust, there were too many scents there for him to identify any specific one, and the odor of dead mutant units clung to everything as well. Sabretooth had never minded the smell of blood, but it irritated him now, as it blocked him from sniffing out his allies, and it brought his bloodlust to the forefront as well. Which wasn't all that bad. It would just help for him to go berserk now.

He smiled down at Blink, and then looked around again. Suddenly he felt the hackles on his neck rise, and he smelt an empty and metallic smell, tinged with blood. Hatred shuddered across his mind, and he spun around, snarling, pushing Blink aside in the same motion.

"Blink!!! Get back now!!!" A golden armor covered hand reached out through the air and grabbed Sabretooth by the throat. Instinctively Sabretooth snapped at the hand, and tried to claw it.

Holocaust laughed at Sabretooth's ineffectual attacks.

"Most amusing Sabretooth. You survived in your last battle because of him," Holocaust nodded towards Nate, and his grip tightened for an instant, "but this time I'll kill you, the little whelp with you, and the boy." His cannon hand swung around, but Sabretooth had managed to come to his senses, and punched at the joint above Holocausts elbow. It buckled and Sabretooth moved out of the way, just as the cannon swung through the space where his head had been moments ago. Snarling, Sabretooth jumped onto Holocausts front, disallowing the hulking heir of Apocalypse from using his cannon on him, and began pummeling him, denting his armor slightly. Howling with fury Sabretooth continued his relentless assault, and for a moment Holocaust fell back against the rage of Sabretooth.

"You. . ." Holocaust broke off, unable to say anything as Sabretooth attacked the face area of his containment suit. Regaining his footing however, Holocaust swung his fist with all his power, his cannon arm smashing into Sabretooth's chest. The crunching sound of bones breaking resounded in the battered grounds. Sabretooth fell clutching his chest in pain, and snarled. He got up as fast as he fell, his healing factor already closing the wound, and reforming the bones. Holocaust laughed mockingly and grabbed Sabretooth before he could attack anew and flung him into the air. As Sabretooth rose into the air, Holocaust pointed his cannon upwards.

"It'll be my pleasure putting down a wild animal such as you." Holocaust sent up a micro-nuclear blast form his cannon hand, as Sabretooth fell back to the ground.

Suddenly a black disc opened in mid air, and Sabretooth fell into it. It disappeared just as Holocausts blast shot through the region where it had just been. A few meters away the disc reappeared and Sabretooth fell to the ground with a grunt and a surprised snarl. Holocaust looked up in surprise, and then looked around. He spotted Sabretooth lying on the ground, slowly struggling to stand up.

"So the young teleporter girl. . . show yourself!" Holocaust looked around, but he couldn't see the young girl. Sabretooth wondered where she was, and played possum a little longer. The more distracted Holocaust was, the faster Sabretooth could heal. He silently cursed Blink. The kid should have gone far away from here. Holocaust was no one to play around with. He had been trained by the best; Apocalypse - and Apocalypse had had 5000 years of experience to draw from. Holocaust ceased looking around and walked up to Sabretooth who was on his hands and knees now. Sabretooth spun around in a surprise attack, his claws flexing as they reached for the containment shell around his head region. However Holocaust had been bent slightly, with his arm slightly in front, and Sabretooth's hand struck Holocaust's hand, each deflecting the other. Sabretooth's claws raked harmlessly across Holocaust's armor, while Holocausts hand brushed over Sabretooth's head and struck empty air. Holocaust recovered fast, and his cannon arm struck Sabretooth's side, sending him back to the ground. Sabretooth rolled slightly onto his front, and then howled in pain as Holocaust's elbow struck the small of his back. He slumped to the ground, and spat out blood. Again and again and again holocaust hit Sabretooth, and each time Sabretooth grunted and coughed up more blood.

"An internal injury isn't it Sabretooth? I'm going to kill you the slow way. I'm going to beat you till you're bleeding form every pore, and your healing factor heals you just lesser than the damage I inflict. . . you're going to be sorry you ever crossed my path." Holocaust began to laugh, his soulless voice echoing in his containment suit.

Suddenly Holocaust stepped into a black disc, and the next second he was falling down, into another disc, and then again into another, and again and again.

Sabretooth felt delicate hands touch his face, and then he was rolled over by Blink.

Her brow was creased with concentration, but her eyes were on him. Almost automatically her hands were throwing small sliver like energy daggers just below Holocaust, which created her teleportation discs underneath the falling mutant.

"Mr. Creed. . . Are you alright?" Blink's hands gently touched his bruises, but Sabretooth was healing. However he knew Holocaust wouldn't be held off by such a simple tactic.

"Ge. . . movin' kid. . . Hol'Cast.. won't. . . get out of here. . . too dang'rous. . ." Sabretooth couldn't speak properly, his mouth was still not quite connected to his skull. As he spoke he could see Holocaust scream in rage, and flail a little before being swallowed by another disc, and then falling again.

"I'll teach him pain. . ." Blink spoke softly, but her voice was edged with steel. Sabretooth felt a swell of pride within him. She was going to be great. And he had taught her how to be great. He tried to smile.

Blink turned and walked forward, her arm still methodically throwing the daggers. Suddenly she threw three of them at once, and each sliced off a piece of Holocaust's armor.

Holocaust gave a cry of rage, and then his cannon arm suddenly steadied, and shot out a powerful blast. The blast hit the ground, creating a crater, and propelled him upwards. Blink's teleportation disc opened, but Holocaust had shot again, this time at an angle, and he flew backwards until he hit the Power Supply building. He slid down, zigzagging using his powerful blasts against the ground to shoot him one way, then the other. He was fast enough to avoid Blink's teleportation discs. He hit the ground running, and leapt over another disc, and his arm shot at Blink, forcing her to duck, and then another shot, which Blink used her powers to escape. She reappeared a few feet away, but Holocaust was firing again, and then again, randomly, small concentrated bursts that were still powerful enough to knock an average mutant senseless. Blink teleported away, but one of Holocausts blasts caught her on the side, and she was sent spinning to the side. Desperately fighting unconsciousness Blink managed to teleport herself away. Holocaust stopped firing, and looked around the broken field. Blink was nowhere in sight. Sabretooth got up slowly and ran towards Holocaust, but Holocaust turned just as Sabretooth readied to leap and grabbed him by the throat, exerting enough pressure to leave Sabretooth struggling.

"I could crush you like an insect Sabretooth. The girl is good. But not good enough. I'll level this entire field. . . and then we'll see if her teleportation can save her. Unless she's run away. If she hasn't. . . your screams will draw her to you." Holocausts ethereal deaths head grinned. Sabretooth felt mind numbing agony explode in his back.

Blink landed with a thud on the ground, and lay for a few seconds, dazed. Holocausts blast had barely grazed her, but it had felt like the ceiling had crashed into her. She put her hand to the graze and felt slightly charred clothing and burnt edges of padding. A hand touched her shoulder and she sprung up, turning as fast as she could, pulling a dagger out of her pack. The other kid, Nate backed away slightly.

"Hey calm down. . . it's me. What's going on? The last thing I remember is fighting the Infinites and drawing on my strength to kill them. The next thing I know is that I'm waking up, and a minute later you drop out of thin air, looking pretty battered." Nate's right eye was glowing, and Blink could see that there were still smudges of blood on his upper lip. She wondered how much power the kid truly possessed. She suddenly heard snarls growing louder, and realized that Sabretooth was being beaten again by Holocaust.

She quickly got Nate up to speed on what was happening, and he pounded a fist into one hand.

"Holocaust. . . I've been wondering if I'd ever get a rematch. Come on let's go."

Blink created another one of her discs, as he jumped into the sky. She ran through and saw Holocaust lifting Sabretooth's body above him with one hand.

"Ah. . . you've come back." Holocaust's ethereal death head grinned inside the suit, and then he flung Sabretooth onto Blink. She grabbed the bulky body of her mentor, but the weight, and force with which Holocaust threw it knocked her back. She crawled out from under the body, and saw Nate Gray dive bomb Holocaust. Or at least that's what it looked like. One second Holocaust was advancing on her, the next Nate shot down form the sky, and collided with Holocaust. Holocaust flew back and smashed into some debris on the ground. Nate flew down on his feet in front of him.

"You? I've been wanting a rematch with you kid. . ." Holocaust got up faster than Blink could follow, and then his cannon shot at Nate. Nate's force field blocked the blast, but Blink could see the effort cost Nate.

Holocaust stared at Nate, and then howled and ran forward. Nate stood his ground, and at the last minute flew upwards. But Holocaust was a much more skilled combatant, and he leapt as Nate did, shooting upwards. Nate instinctively conjured up a psionic force shield, but the force of the blast was enough to send him spiraling in midair. Holocaust laughed, and began shooting at Nate. His first few shots missed, but Blink knew that if Holocaust scored a direct hit, Nate was dead. She leapt forward with two of her daggers ready. She heard Sabretooth weakly protesting her move, but she didn't stop. Holocaust was so busy with Nate he didn't even notice Blink sink two of her daggers into the back of his suit, just behind his head. Holocaust screamed as the daggers energy interfered with his own, and he fell to his knees, his hand scrabbling to get the daggers out. Blink smiled and threw a dagger towards Nate, creating a disc that teleported him next to them, where he landed on the ground, heavily. Nate groaned and stood.

"Sonofabitch. . . I didn't expect that. . ." He rubbed his head. Holocaust pulled out the daggers and turned. All traces of humor were gone from his features. . . whatever could be made out in a skull shaped out of energy anyway.

"You'll suffer for that. . ." His voice was distorted. Blink smiled at the pain she had caused the son of Apocalypse.

"No. . . you're gonna suffer here pal." Nate began to walk towards Holocaust, and as he did his eye began to glow brighter and brighter. Blink could almost make out a similar glow around Nate's fists. Holocaust watched Nate approach, and Blink saw Holocaust's hand flex in anticipation. The two came within arms reach and stood staring at each other, and then Nate moved, his fists lashing out at Holocaust. However Holocaust had read the movement and was already ducking back, his left foot arching out as he did. Nate cried in shock as Holocausts left foot connected hard with his midriff, launching Nate a few feet into the air. He came down on one foot and one knee, gasping for breath. Holocaust didn't let up and his fist smashed into the side of Nate's head, and Nate's eyes began rolling up in his head as he swayed on both knees.

"I'm going to watch you bleed to death." Holocaust struck again, but Nate was finally ready, and he fell forward, and then used his fists to springboard back up, his fists now clenched together. He struck Holocaust with his doubled up fists, and Holocaust reeled back as Nate's psionic power augmented his strength a hundred fold. Nate stood slowly, almost woozily.

"I'm not going to bother to say anything Holocaust. You're finished." Nate emphasized his statement by punching Holocaust again. Holocaust staggered backwards, and tripped over a rock. He attempted to get up, but Nate kicked him onto his back, and began kicking him while he was down. Holocaust however grabbed his leg in mid swing and hurled him back. Then Holocaust stood up and grabbed Nate. He swung his cannon hand and hit Nate once, twice, thrice. Nate's head spun with each blow, and Blink realized she had to make a move now. She ran forward, two daggers twirling in her hands. Ten feet away form Holocaust she threw one in front of her and teleported half a foot away and hit Holocaust with all her impetus behind her. Holocaust barely felt the kick. Blink blinked and suddenly Holocaust's cannon hand smashed into her side. Blink cried out in pain as she felt her ribs crack beneath the blow. It sent her rolling twenty feet away. She tried to stand but the pain in her ribs buckled her knees and she fell back to the ground. She could barely stand but she had to get up. Holocaust seemed unbeatable. Suddenly she heard a snarl and Sabretooth was up. Sabretooth picked up a huge rock and threw it onto Holocaust wrenching Nate form his grasp, and sending Holocaust flying back. Nate fell to the ground and clutched his jaw in agony.

"Listen kid. . . forget yer fists. . . use yer damn psychic powers on the brute. . ." Sabretooth sounded exasperated.

Nate nodded, and then stared intently at Holocaust. As the monstrous mutant got up he suddenly fell back under an invisible assault. Nate, Blink realized. She wondered why the fool kid hadn't used this power before. Amazingly Holocaust seemed to shrug off the telepathic attack after a few minutes and began walking inexorably towards Nate, Sabretooth and herself. His cannon hand rose slowly, and Blink felt a shiver of fear. Holocaust seemed unstoppable. Then Nate's brow furrowed and he drew his hands back and then slapped them together. At that, Blink could suddenly see waves of pure force ripple through the air from where Nate's fists had collided, and the waves struck Holocaust, knocking him back. Holocaust lurched around for a few seconds before the attack, and then fell to his knees. Nate flew towards him and hit him hard enough to shatter a building. Holocaust fell onto his back, finally seemingly defeated. Blink sighed in relief.

Nate walked back to them and sank to his knees. Blink could see that the fight had taken its toll on Nate. Sabretooth clapped him on his back, a little gently though. Even Sabretooth knew the kid had been through a rough time.

"Interesting. I've always wondered exactly how well my son fared against Sinister's great weapon. I see that it was more Nemesis's own weaknesses that contributed to his fall. He was ever impatient. It will be a pleasure putting you three down by myself."

Blink turned in horror to where the speaker stood.

Apocalypse himself stood a few feet away; with no cape and no ornamental armor. He was massive, standing head and shoulders above Sabretooth.

"Apocalypse." Sabretooth growled warily. Blink could tell that Sabretooth was worried, almost scared. She knew she was scared. Holocaust was strong, and an extremely deadly opponent.

Apocalypse was in a different league altogether.

"Now. . . who shall die first?" Apocalypse had begun walking forward, and Blink knew that in a matter of minutes they would all be dead.

x-------------------------------x

Magneto took a quick visual reconnaissance of his surroundings as soon as he was able to orient himself after the explosion caused by Havok and Cyclops. That single explosion had changed the entire battlefield and separated his X-men. However he was certain his plan could still be carried out. Bishop, Shadowcat and Nightcrawlers missions might even be aided by the chaos caused by the explosion.

He was alone. It was to be expected considering he was only able to protect himself from the explosion. Other than those right next to the fight between the brothers, he was sure everyone else was alright. The explosion had not been powerful enough to kill most of his X-men, and the ones it could had been away from the explosion.

Magneto settled his helmet properly on his head. As he did, the sounds around him became clearer. He could hear the sound of plasma nearby. Energy discharges. That could mean Havok. Or someone more dangerous. He flew quickly towards the sounds and saw Nate, Sabretooth and Blink facing Holocaust. He mustered together his power and began to head for them, readying an EM pulse to knock down Holocaust, and then follow it by tearing Holocaust apart. He had done it before, he could do it again. Suddenly he realized that Nate had managed to put down Holocaust. He relaxed and began slowly moving towards them when he realized that Apocalypse was standing only a few feet away from them. He wondered what strange fate could have brought him Apocalypse at this early stage. He began gathering together his energy more powerfully than before. Against Apocalypse he needed a plan of action from before, and several alternatives in case Apocalypse managed to surprise him with a new attack, which had happened before.

Apocalypse had just begun moving towards the three X-men when Magneto reached close enough to let loose his EM pulse without endangering the X-men. Apocalypse grunted as he fell forward under the force of the attack. Magneto powered up his fist and punched Apocalypse, sending the behemoth mutant staggering forwards.

"Come on butcher! Let's see how well you stand against me!" Magneto taunted Apocalypse, trying to goad him. It had never worked in the past. Goading Apocalypse was like goading a rock. It had no effect.

Apocalypse turned towards Magneto slowly, and his eyes flashed.

"So Magneto. . . I was wondering when we would have our inevitable confrontation. A bit sooner than I had expected, but it shall suffice." Apocalypse moved forward then, faster than his bulk should have allowed. Before Magneto could do anything, Apocalypse had managed to come close enough to strike at him. Magneto managed to create a force field before Apocalypse's fist struck him, and even then Magneto staggered back under the assault. Apocalypse wasn't done however. His initial attack failing, he launched seamlessly into another, striking the ground hard enough to cause Magneto to stumble, and then loose a blast of pure energy at Magneto. The atomic energy disrupted Magneto's shield, and then Apocalypse was on him, his head smashing into Magneto's helmet, cracking it from the left side of Magneto's head. Magneto fell to his feet, staggering slightly. Apocalypse was as fast as Weapon X, and apparently as well trained in hand to hand confrontations. Then again, Magneto realized, Apocalypse had over 5000 years of training and experience. Apocalypse struck again, and this time Magneto was knocked into the surrounding rocks, and debris. Magneto groaned in pain as he extricated himself with some difficulty. He looked up to see Apocalypse looming above him. He began focusing his power, and let loose before Apocalypse could grab him. Apocalypse staggered back before the impact of pure magnetic energy. Magneto increased the barrage against Apocalypse, who finally managed to stand long enough to strike his fists together, setting off a reaction far stronger than Nate had done with his psionic energy. The entire ground rumbled and Magneto was flung back, meters away. Nate, Sabretooth and Blink also fell back before the shockwave. Apocalypse had created a small localized nuclear explosion. . . concentrated in an area of about three meters.

Magneto slowly rose from the depression his landing had made in the ground. As he did he heard a voice call his name.

"Magneto!!!" Polaris screamed the name out in hatred. Magneto turned and saw Polaris flying towards him. He rose to meet her, wondering where Apocalypse had gone.

x---------------------------------------------------x

The blast had knocked him senseless. He should have realized it, of course, but he had been too busy trying to keep Havok off him to pay attention to other details. . . such as the amount of energy build up was taking place between them. Cyclops shook his head. Luckily for him Jean. . . Phoenix – it would take time getting used to the new name. . . - had been there. Her telekinetic bubble had managed to protect him. They weren't sure how many others had survived the blast though. The other X-men. . . Nate. . . the boy was theirs. . . and Cyclops knew that Phoenix worried about him too. However he knew that whatever else, they had to finish their mission. Too much depended on it.

All things considered their last ditch attempt was working fairly well. The plan was still workable. . . they had to cut the power, and Phoenix and he were already in the Power Supply building. After the dust had cleared, they had found themselves surrounded by rocks, dirt and other debris. Phoenix had managed to hold other rocks in place while he blasted a path out. They had made their way out of the little tomb and found themselves inside the Power Supply walls. Cyclops could see the gigantic pipes that led out of the Supply building. They were reinforced by an Adamantium alloy with fiber strain injected. It made the pipes supple yet Adamantium hard. Apocalypse had overseen their completion himself. He had wanted nothing to happen to the power supply to the Tower.

"They go on further than I would have expected from the outside of the building." Phoenix's voice was hushed. . . as was common in dark and foreboding places. She was right though. The pipes did seem to go on for over a mile. Cyclops knew why.

"It's an elaborate ruse. They actually turn a few meters ahead, and carefully placed mirrors give the illusion of longevity." Cyclops explained it clinically. An awareness had settled over him, as usually happened in the midst of battle. Emotions, feelings had been locked away to be replaced by cold reason and tactical judgment. It made him seem inhuman at times, but it was an advantage in battle that could not be denied. He knew that this capability was the reason he had managed to defeat the most cunning strategist he had ever faced. Xavier. He carefully masked away the thought, not wanting to remind Phoenix of what had happened. . .

"Why would anyone want to do that?" Phoenix sounded a little irritable. Cyclops felt the urge to smile. He had been annoyed as well, at first.

"It gives people entering this place pause. Also. . . in the eventuality of any attack, the mirrors serve as security cameras, allowing security to quickly dispatch a team to round them up. I wouldn't be surprised if someone was watching us right now." Phoenix glanced at Cyclops sharply, and Cyclops hastened in assuring her, "there's no danger. They can't reach us easily, and we'll have reached the end before then. I know all the dangers here Jean. It's all right."

Phoenix nodded, but she moved faster, perhaps unconsciously.

The complex descended after a point, and went down four stories. Cyclops began to feel slightly apprehensive as he reached the second level. There was an eerie feeling of being watched, and he resisted the impulse to turn and look behind. He had never been below the second level either, and that fact bothered him. He did not know what was below them, though he had a small idea. He knew how to get to the hub at any rate. It was at the lowest level; a vast chamber filled with power. The Power Supply of the Tower. Cyclops also knew that the supply connected to many other supplies around America, though how they were connected was a secret he had not been privy to.

As they moved to the third level, Cyclops quickly made a note of what he was seeing. The third floor was empty except for a terminal at one end, showing hundreds of readings. It lay before a glass window, presumably to the final floor. AS he grew closer, Phoenix began to stumble, and her jaw clenched.

"Jean? What's wrong?" Cyclops held out a hand to steady her.

Phoenix leaned against him for an instant, and then spoke again.

"I don't know Scott. . . there's a strange static in my head, and I feel. . . apprehensive Scott. Something is up ahead, something I won't like. . . forget it. We have to move on." Phoenix straightened and then moved on, towards the terminal, and the path to the final level.

Cyclops walked on as well, although his nerves were also buzzing with anticipation. They neared the window and looked down into a massive chamber, fully a kilometer across, with glass tubes and larger chambers surrounding in concentric circles a much larger chamber.

"Let's go down. . . I want to know what's down there." Phoenix began to move as she spoke. Cyclops wondered what the tubes held.

He didn't have to wait long for the answer. As they descended to the final level Cyclops began to see the dim outlines of bodies inside the tubes. Phoenix gasped as her eyes adjusted to the suddenly harsh light. The cavern was huge, and it reached above the third and second level. Cyclops realized that the top of the cavern formed the floor of the ground level. The three levels below the ground floor level stuck out to the side of the cavern. The centermost chamber held a body as well, a massive monolith of a man, or mutant. The monolith was in a fetal position, and Cyclops realized that all the energy was directed through him. The other chambers pumped energy into the center and that directed the energy through various tubes out of it, and into the walls of the chamber. Cyclops realized that destroying the building would have no effect. The main energy source was here. He wondered if he dared destroy something so obviously powerful. It could wipe them all out, and take most of the surrounding region with it.

"Damn. . ." Phoenix spoke softly, as she gazed in awe at the massive structure. Cyclops looked at her, and realized that it wasn't just awe but horror on her face. She turned to him, and spoke.

"They're all people Scott, dead people, and he's using the power of their bodies to power his foul Tower. To power his empire." Her voice was still hushed, and the enormity of the horror threatened to shatter her composure. He sent waves of support through their link, not wanting her to crumble before this.

Suddenly her eyes widened.

"There's someone in here Scott! Someone alive! I can hear her call to me." Cyclops wondered who it was, but Phoenix unerringly led him to a tube/chamber near the center of the whole complex. Lying against one of the chambers was a gagged and manacled Cecilia Reyes. Cyclops quickly bent down in front of her to free her. As he did his eyes came level with the figure in the chamber. His eyes widened behind his visor as he realized it was Candra. A dead Candra; her power feeding Apocalypse's Empire. He shook his head, and ripped off Cecilia's gag.

"NO Scott! It's a trap, he's waiting for you!" Cyclops stared at her for a second, the shock of seeing both her and Candra momentarily fazing him. He heard a dull thud from behind, and Cecilia's eyes widened. He turned and saw the Dark Beast standing above Phoenix, holding her by the head, as she slumped to the ground.

"McCoy!" Cyclops's rage knew no bounds. The damned and perverted creature that was the Dark Beast had trapped him, and he had hurt both Cecilia and Phoenix. His visor sliced open and right gauntlet shot up as he targeted Beast and fired. However the Dark Beast was too fast, and he was jumping just as Cyclops shot at him, landing gracefully on top of one of the chambers. Phoenix lay on the ground where Beast had just been standing.

"Now, now. . . control yourself Cyclops. After all, this is no way to behave at such a propitious meeting, is it?" His urbane and mocking tone slid over the void of rage that had gripped Cyclops. He had also realized, on some small corner of his brain that destroying the power Supply might even be impossible. His optic blast had dissolved into the force around the chamber Beast stood on, and seemingly added its power to that already functioning. Moreover he felt the intangible suction of the largest chamber housing the monolith as it drew at his life force and physical powers.

"An interesting place is it not? I have personally found it to be a rather stimulating place, albeit from the vantage point of the control and maintenance level above this chamber. Spending too much time here can have disastrous consequences as you are no doubt already aware. The good doctor here is quite weak, and has merely minutes to continue to remain conscious. As for Jean Gray. . . well she's already unconscious, and there's nothing to prevent the mechanism from siphoning out her considerable power and life force." The Dark Beast began chortling, and Cyclops looked at his insane opponent with hate. He raised his gauntlet to fire, but Beast had already skipped away, and Cyclops could hear his ghostly chuckle echoing in the chamber.

Cyclops began muttering and turned to Cecilia.

"Cece. . . help Jean. Get her conscious somehow, and help her out of here. I'll handle the Beast. . ."

Cecilia nodded and then turned her back to him and wiggled her hands inside the manacles. Cyclops nodded and used his optic blast to slice through the manacles.

"GO! I'll follow you in a few minutes." Cecilia touched his face tenderly and then went to Phoenix, hoisting her and dragging her, presumably to the ladders where he and Phoenix had just come from.

Cyclops looked around him as another chuckle echoed. The echo made it impossible for him to detect where Beast had gone. He cursed softly, and looked around, focusing on using his eyes. He saw a glimmer of movement at his side, and turned quickly, the Dark Beat's proximity making it impossible to use his power. Beast launched into him, his fists punching him twice in rapid succession, before his feet shot out from below catching Cyclops in his ribs. Cyclops reeled back, trying to ward off blows as Beast unmercifully attacked him. Beast hit him with a stiff roundhouse and Cyclops spun around and onto the force shield surrounding a chamber. He looked into the dead eyes of Candra, and he felt Beasts fists pound his back, and the breath whooshed out of his body. However Cyclops had managed to control his anger, and he clinically reached behind him grabbing Beast's arms before he could withdraw from the attack.

Cyclops had been trained by some of the best hand to hand fighters the world had to offer, and he had also trained with Weapon X, arguably the best hand to hand fighter in the world. He knew Beast's moves before he even used them. He spun, using the Beasts greater strength to propel his attack. His right gauntlet caught Beast on the side of his head, causing a small red flash. Beast spun in mid air and landed on the ground. However he sprung back up almost immediately. Cyclops had been trained by the best, but the Beast was naturally athletic, and he had a natural animal instinct. He also had the advantage of knowing the battlefield. He disappeared into the shadows above the chambers, and Cyclops was left trying to gauge where Beast would strike next.

The only place where Cyclops could properly defend himself was by the ladders leading to the third level, where Cecilia had dragged Phoenix. He moved quickly, but before he could reach it, the Beast came from behind, hitting him twice in quick succession, before disappearing again. Cyclops stumbled and regained his balance, then moved again. He could see Cecilia and Phoenix in front of him when Beast attacked again, and this time Cyclops fell to the ground on his left arm. He cried in agony as barely healed muscles were pulled. Beast noted the cry and attacked again, focusing on Cyclops's left arm.

"Come now, my dear Cyclops. Surely this is not all the fight you have in you?" Cyclops gritted his teeth, and tried to defend himself, but the pain, coupled with the loss of power due to the mechanism's in the chamber threatened to wipe him out. Beast attacked again, and Cyclops defended again. However as he moved back, the chambers began to move as well, and the sudden movements distracted Cyclops. The Dark Beast capitalized on Cyclops's sudden hesitation and his fist caught Cyclops on his temple. The world swam before his eyes, and he fell back, sliding down on the force field of a chamber. The Beast leapt forward again, his claws outstretched. Cyclops tried to form a defensive posture, but before he could a great field of transparent golden surrounded him, and the Beast bounced off the force field. The Beast snarled in surprise and looked around tracing the source of the field to Cecilia Reyes, who stood with her hands outstretched, and Phoenix rising slowly behind her. Cyclops stood slowly as an invisible hand grabbed Beast and flung him aside. Phoenix moved forward quickly and another invisible hand, but a far gentler one dragged Cyclops back from the moving chambers.

"We have to move Scott. Something's happening here, and we have to get out. . ."

Cyclops nodded and they quickly rose in a psychic bubble to the door to the third level. Below them the Beast ran to the ladder and began climbing up. Below the Beast the chambers moved faster and faster, and the fields around them began to glow with an unearthly power. As they reached the door and got in Phoenix looked down at Beast climbing up, and with a negligent flip of her hand she sent him off the ladder and into the growing field in the cavern below. The beast screamed in impotent fury as he struck the field, and then slowly got sucked into it. Below the field they could make out the bodies getting released from the chambers and rising up to circle the great Monolith inside the large central chamber. They slammed the door shut and hurried to the stairs, not pausing even for breath. The pipes leading the way up began to glow in the same way. Cyclops knew something big was happening outside, but what that was he wasn't sure.

x----------------------------------x

At Magneto's command she had immediately grabbed Nightcrawler, who after making certain she was holding tightly, teleported inside the Tower, behind the oncoming hordes. Shadowcat lightly dropped to her feet behind the enemies, and she and Nightcrawler ran forward into the main Tower. The few stragglers of the army of mutants and Cyborg's attacking the X-men noticed them, but before they could even cry out in alarm, Nightcrawler had skewered two of them in quick succession, all the while Shadowcat calmly stuck small poisoned darts inside the bodies of a few of their opponents. Within moments it was over, the headless opponents dead, and the poisoned opponents dying quickly. The two X-men quickly made their way inside the Tower, and followed Cyclops's directions to the first elevator bank. As soon as they reached there, Shadowcat held onto Nightcrawler and they turned intangible, sinking into the ground. Shadowcat dropped them five levels, before they entered the containment cells. The guards there were quickly and efficiently dispatched by Nightcrawler, who ported back next to Shadowcat within seconds.

"It iz done. No one else here will bother us katzchen." Nightcrawler smiled briefly, showing gleaming white fangs. At one time they had unnerved Shadowcat, but now she felt they added to his smile. Of all the X-men, she had been closest to Colossus, Nightcrawler and Iceman, if Colossus more so than the other two. She nodded to him absently, and continued to survey the horrible conditions the prisoners and low class mutants were made to live in inside the containment chambers. Not too many of the cells were filled. Shadowcat knew that they were routinely emptied to provide fodder for the Dark Beast's insidious experiments. Also, Apocalypse disliked wasting resources on the 'weak'. Shadowcat's mouth turned down in disgust.

"It's time to end _his _rule Kurt. I've seen enough of this to last me a lifetime. Let's free the prisoners. It will add to the confusion." Nightcrawler and Shadowcat moved purposefully towards the cells. Freeing the prisoners was a simple thing. Nightcrawler simply destroyed the power cables running towards the prisoners cells. Within moments the electrical field surrounding the prisoners was gone, and then Shadowcat and Nightcrawler simply walked through and teleported through the lines of cells, respectively.

It was at one of the larger cells that Nightcrawler paused in surprise. Shackled to the wall by massive restraints which appeared to have their own power source was the Cain Marko, the Juggernaut. Nightcrawler had last seen the behemoth of a man in Avalon after they had evacuated as many people as they could from Avalon. He had been aboard the 'Sanctuary', the large carrier jet that had been transporting the remaining people of Avalon. With him had been his mother as well.

"Katzchen! Over here!" Nightcrawler would need her help to free Juggernaut if even he had been kept captive.

Shadowcat came running, "What's the matter fuzz-. . ." Shadowcat broke off what she saying as she noticed the massive Juggernaut trapped inside the large cell. The massive man focused slowly on them.

"Rings round my hand. . . they're draining my strength to power 'em!" Juggernaut's voice sounded weak.

"Do you know any way to remove them that we may be able to help you with?" Shadowcat was frowning at the manacles around his arms and body, holding him against the wall.

Juggernaut looked contemptuously at her, "Yeah. . . that's why I'm hanging here. . . 'cause I like it! 'Course I don't know ya blithering idiot! Why'd ya think I'm still here?" Juggernaut had never been the soul of tact Nightcrawler observed.

"Look. . . you must have some idea of how to control them. . . I cannot imagine one of your guards ever not taunting you about your weakness at the time." Shadowcat was slightly flushed, and Nightcrawler knew she was angry. However he had to ask a more important question.

"Marko, where iz my mutter? She waz with you ze last time I checked!" Juggernaut focused on Nightcrawler.

"I dunno, she's about here someplace. It's only Destiny that Apocalypse's keeping for himself." Nightcrawler smiled slightly, glad that his mother was still alive. Then he realized that Apocalypse had Destiny. If he had managed to use her powers. . . he realized with a chill that they may have walked into a very large trap.

"Look. . . get me outta here somehow, an' I'll help ya break outta here easily." Shadowcat walked over to Juggernaut and touched one of the manacles. It gave off a slight hiss as she touched it. She frowned slightly, and then smiled.

"It'll be a small shock, but I think I can get it off you. Hold on." Shadowcat began to move her hand faster across the manacle, and then suddenly plunged her hand into the device. With a sudden and small hiss it broke apart. The other one on his arm quickly followed.

"Yeah, I knew you could do it! Now just the other one's, and pretty pink flamingoes can fly." Juggernauts face took on a puzzled frown as he spoke, and Shadowcat and Nightcrawler gave him a startled look.

"I love biscuits, and the thirty first tuning fork on mars got a hara-kiri worm. . . It's Ben-gay again! Desist the colt action!" Juggernaut's face grew more and more troubled and his eyes were wide at the last. Nightcrawler stared at him in surprise. He had not expected the Juggernaut to begin to babble bullshit.

"Something's wrong with his mind. . . do you think the manacles are connected?" Shadowcat looked towards Nightcrawler as she slowly touched the next one. Suddenly the hissing grew louder and then manacle sent a massive shock down Shadowcat's arm. She screamed and pulled back, and her right arm hung uselessly at her side, twitching as she backed away from the manacle.

"What ze hell???" Nightcrawler pulled out his sword.

"Oh put that in you stupid X-man. It won't do you any good."

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat turned as one.

Before them stood three people, very likely mutants by their rank. Two of them wore the trappings of Prelates, and looked very similar, with dark skin, and similar build and facial structure. One was bald with a goatee, and the other had short curly hair. Between the two stood a small blonde woman, in the uniform of a Rook. Strangely, although the Prelates outranked her, the Rook seemed to be in command by their positions. The woman had spoken, and she was smiling at them, her hand raised in a sort of half salute, slightly bent back the wrist, almost as though there was something in her palm.

"Who the hell are you?" The two of them didn't know them, but Shadowcat thought the two Prelates looked familiar. They had been on Muir Isle. Nightcrawler had already begun to crouch, and the two prelates tensed in preparation.

He lunged for them, fangs bared and sword whirling in the air in front of him. As he did, he teleported. However he suddenly appeared in the air above where he had just been and fell to the ground in surprise.

"What ze hell?" Nightcrawler grunted as he got up form the floor.

"Hahaha! You can't fight us! I can mess up your thoughts man. No way you can beat us at this game." The bald one began laughing again.

"Yeah, we're the bedlam brothers. I'm Jesse, and the chrome dome's my bro, Terry. I'll let you figure out my power yourself." Jesse began smiling as well, a grin as large as his brothers.

The Rook gave them annoyed looks. Shadowcat wondered what sort of hold she had over them. She bent low and pulled two small daggers out of her belt.

"My power isn't necessary for me to take you out." She growled in her best imitation of Weapon X. She also knew it sounded woefully inadequate.

"Yes it is." Jesse grinned at her.

"No it isn't." Shadowcat snarled back, moving forward.

"Is too." Jesse fired back, his stupid grin still on his face.

"Is not!!!" Shadowcat yelled back, advancing closer, daggers held ready.

"Is." Jesse was crouching as well. Terry Bedlam had turned towards Nightcrawler, apparently leaving Shadowcat to fight his brother.

"Is not. . . I can't believe I'm playing this stupid game!" Shadowcat was getting annoyed at the stupid Prelates childishness. . . and her own automatic response to his nagging. She was NOT a little girl anymore!

She leapt forward, but Jesse smoothly stepped back, pivoted slightly on his right heel and attacked her with his right hand. Shadowcat also smoothly ducked into a roll and ducked below his punch, rolling to safety, daggers tucked at her side to keep the dangerous edge away from her. Suddenly a leg caught her on her side, and she fell to the side. She had forgotten the Rook.

As she lay dazed, a small glowing ball landed in front of her, getting brighter by the second. She immediately realized what it was, and jumped back. The explosion just caught her, flinging her backwards into a wall. Shadowcat quickly discarded one dagger and pulled out a pistol. She would need better firepower to handle the Rook. She thought she knew her. Meltdown her name was. She had some sort of explosive power. As she fired she heard a dull thumping somewhere. At the same time her gun suddenly backfired, destroying the muzzle, and much of its body. Shadowcat dropped the smoking thing immediately.

"I told ya my power could affect you." Jesse was still grinning that insufferable grin.

Shadowcat backed away slightly, her mind working fast, to try to conceive a strategy to take down these two Prelates and the Rook.

Nightcrawler had tried everything. Every time he tried to teleport, Terry disrupted his thought patterns, and he teleported somewhere else. He stopped after two tries. He did not relish the idea of teleporting into a wall. He would have to depend on his acrobatic skill and his sword fighting skills.

"We shall fence zen shall we?' He grinned back at the smiling bald mutant. However, Terry's manipulation had a devastating effect on his hand-eye co-ordination, and his every thrust went wide, every jump, slash or leap led to disaster for him. And Terry Bedlam stayed a good distance away from the tip of his sword. This was impossible! He heard a dull thump and then an explosion. Then another thump and another smaller explosion. He looked to the side and saw that Shadowcat was corned by the other two, and that her pistol was on the ground, most of it destroyed. At that moment Terry Bedlam finally danced within range and his fist smashed into Nightcrawlers jaw, sending him reeling backwards. A kick sent him to his knees as the armor plated boots of the Prelate had a devastating impact with his ribs through the Kevlar. Another roundhouse spun his head around. His vision was blurry, and he could make out Shadowcat dodging explosives, attempting to get close enough to the Prelate or the Rook to attack. Things did not look good.

Suddenly Terry Bedlam was gone from his field of vision. Nightcrawler looked up dazedly and saw The Prelate struggling in the grip of the Juggernaut, completely free from his restraints. Juggernaut punched him once and then flung him aside. The Prelate smacked into a wall, and fell to the ground unconscious. As he did, the other Bedlam turned to stare at the point where his brother had fallen.

"Terry!" He ran forward, but the Rook, Meltdown stopped him.

"The Juggernaut's free you fool! Let's get out of here!" She tugged at his arm, but the Prelate would not be budged, as he stared at his brother.

"Come on! Please, if we don't; get out of here, he'll kill us both!" Meltdown looked anxiously at the approaching Juggernaut.

"I love you Jesse! I want nothing to happen to you!" Her argument seemed to work on Jesse, and the two turned and ran.

Shadowcat helped Nightcrawler stand up, as he rubbed his ribs. They were only bruised.

"Thank you mein freund. But. . . how did you get free of your restraints?" Nightcrawler looked at the large cell and saw that two manacles lay on the ground, broken, while another hung form the wall, obviously ripped out with great force. The wall itself was dented in parts, as though someone with great strength had punched it.

Juggernaut shrugged.

"I used my free hand to punch the other bands till they broke." Nightcrawler blinked and then looked at Juggernaut. So that's what the thumps had been.

"Where iz my mutter?" Juggernaut pointed at another line of cells, smaller in number, yet newer in appearance.

"There. Tom's there too. So're a couple more people from the 'Sanctuary'." The two X-men

followed the hulking giant to the other cells.

In the corner, lying unnoticed, Terry Bedlam stood slowly and looked at where his brother had gone with the Rook.

x------------------------------------------x

Things for them had gone from bad to worse Iceman reflected as he dodged a ray of pure energy wielded by War. Weapon X, Colossus and himself had been blown to the side by the explosion caused by the two Summers brothers. Luckily he had managed to create a solid wall of ice to dampen the effects of the explosion for himself, and Weapon X and Colossus had survived it fairly unhurt. Colossus had been knocked off his feet, and Weapon X was already healing from the numerous cuts and burns he had suffered, cursing all the while. Storm and Angel had quickly joined them as they had been amongst the few nearly completely spared from the explosion, being high enough to use the sky as a buffer for the explosions aftershocks. They thought they had been lucky to be the farthest from ground zero of the explosion. Unfortunately War had also been furthest of those of Apocalypse's forces, and she had sprawled only a few feet away from them. Being the furthest apart also put them far away from any back up.

Things had moved fast from the moment War stood up. Storm and Angel took to the sky again, and Colossus began to run towards War. Iceman quickly added mass to his own body by freezing the molecules around him and adding them to himself as a form of armor. Weapon X had backed away a few feet, knowing that he would be of little use right now in his condition.

Iceman had only just begun moving when Colossus's charge had been sidestepped deftly by War, who had then swung her burning sword at his unprotected back, nearly cutting the metal, and causing small explosions to increase the damage. Colossus had fallen to his knees in pain. Iceman had frozen, both literally and figuratively, for a moment and then moved forward, sending out a steady stream of near absolute zero waves at War. War had become encased in a bubble of fire, which had melted away the cold waves in an instant, and then had charged Iceman.

Now Iceman was dodging her attack as fast as he could, trying to make sure the burning sword did not cut him in two. He barely begun an attack, only to have War somehow understand his intention and compensate for it in her own attack. It was almost like she was reading his mind.

Suddenly Iceman felt arms slink around his shoulders, and then he was up in the air, War's sword stroke missing him by a hair. Iceman turned and saw that Angel was carrying him away, and that nearby Storm was facing off against the horseman, or horsewoman.

"You're tactics will fail you foul woman. I am not as easy to defeat as two untutored children. You will pay dearly for the deaths of my friends." Storm's eyes flashed as she spoke. Iceman knew she referred to the War's killing two of her former team of Roulette, the team she had formed along with Gambit, at the time Apocalypse had attacked Muir Isle II. In many ways that battle had led directly to this one.

Iceman had seen Storm fight before for her very life, and he knew that what he was seeing now went beyond anything she had done before. In front of him at any rate.

"Vengeance. At one time I would have manipulated you into this position wind-rider. I would have reveled in your pain, and taking you when your emotions were at their peak, for that is when the life essence flows strongest. Now I seek only to eliminate." War's voice was almost clinical, yet the sultry, smoky voice that had once been Selene's, still lay below the surface. It was as if another Selene had been superimposed upon the former, both integral to her character, and Iceman realized that War was not just a super powered version of Selene, but something beyond even that.

The sky darkened as Storm gathered her power, even as the air around War began to shimmer, and strange half symbols appeared and disappeared around her within the blink of an eye. With a great cry Storm struck, her arms outstretched towards War and thunder rippled across the sky and lightning smashed down upon War. And not just once, but bolt after bolt of raw energy, five times hotter than the sun smashed down on the form of War. Iceman held his breath. Could even War survive something like that?

Then he saw it, a flicker of green, and then brighter as a circle of pure green energy surrounded the figure of War, and lightning slammed into it, seemingly adding to the power of the green bubble.

"No!" Storm cried out in anger and increased the fury of her attack. Ball lightning hurtled out of the sky in droves, smashing against the green bubble, only to dissolve as they hit. Yet Iceman could see that War was flinching with every hit.

"Sorcery. . . War is making use of sorcery. I never believed it to be possible. . ." Angel sounded completely awed. Iceman had to agree. War was utilizing arts that he could not comprehend. The power of a horseman of Apocalypse, added to the considerable power of a witch made War a more than formidable opponent.

What raged before them was a battle of pure elemental forces against arcane. If War had been a more ordinary person, Storm may have overcome her; however War had the power of a horseman behind her. Storm had begun to falter, the glowing light in her eyes fading as her usage of her mastery over the elements took it's toll on her. Her shoulders drooped, and her attacks grew more frenzied, yet less accurate. In moments War floated in front of Storm, who hovered before her, gasping. With a smile, War threw off her protective bubble. Storm with all her strength lunged forward, her hands completely flat, in a killing move that would render her opponent completely numb. However, War easily dodged her attack, and grabbed her arms imperiously. Then Storm screamed as energy leeched out of her towards War. Angel was moving, as was Iceman, jumping out of his friends grasp, and onto a slide of ice that propelled him through the air towards War. He could hear himself screaming, hear Angel yelling, and Storm's cries of pain. Suddenly Weapon X was there, leaping through the air from a parapet a few meters behind War. War seemed to know the danger and turned, letting go of Storm, but it was too late, as Weapon X's claws on his one hand cut through her armor and sunk into the flesh underneath. War fell backward and Weapon X grabbed her with his legs, and began to maul her with his hand. Angel grabbed Storm before she fell to the ground, while Iceman continued heading for War and Weapon X.

War fell first, her fall breaking Weapon X's, who lost his grip and stumbled off War. He turned snarling, and Iceman realized that Weapon X was in a berserker rage. Which was better for them. Weapon X in a rage was nigh unstoppable. War was already standing, and her helmet was half broken, her cape in tatters. She leapt back to avoid Weapon X's attack, and pulled off her helmet at the same time. Iceman was still moving towards her, with hate in his heart, but even he could not deny the gasp that rose to his lips. War was beautiful, her face nearly perfectly proportioned, with dark eyes on alabaster skin, and long gleaming straight hair falling till her shoulders. She was perhaps the most beautiful woman Iceman had ever seen. He reminded himself with a shake of his head that she was not a woman, but a heartless monster of a horseman of Apocalypse.

War had already pulled out her sword from its sheath, and stood ready and waiting for Weapon X. They met in a resounding fury, as claw met burning sword. Weapon X swung his Adamantium stub of a right hand, but War caught it on her armor. Her armor bent inwards, but she was unscathed otherwise. Weapon X was physically strong, but War was stronger and she flung him backwards breaking the lock.

Iceman had seen Weapon X fight, and he knew that the irascible X-man was arguably the finest hand-to-hand fighter in the world. However, his attacks barely had any effect on War, who seemingly could sense the future as she managed to block, parry or reverse all of his attacks. It was a measure of Weapon X's skill that her counters or attacks never managed to truly hurt him either. Iceman was there now, and he began to funnel pure icy energy towards War.

However Iceman's efforts just spurred War on to greater effort and she began to attack with greater force, finally knocking Weapon X back, and in the same stroke sent a wave of burning energy towards Iceman. It hit Iceman square on his chest and he fell to the ground in agony, reverting from ice form to his normal self.

"Bobby!" Angel cried out in anger and worry as he arrived at the scene, and began attacking War, but Angel was a poor offensive fighter, and in a matter of seconds War had managed to pin him against the ground under her foot, with her sword at his chin.

"Your spirit is strong. It will sustain me well, to weather the coming battles." She bent down, over the struggling, yet nearly immobilized Angel.

Weapon X was charging her again, but she muttered an incantation and fluttered her hand in his direction. With a dull boom Weapon X was knocked back several meters where he lay stunned as coils of green energy began to constrict him.

Suddenly Colossus rose out of the ground a few feet away, and began to move purposefully towards War, limping slightly, and hunched over a little from the brutal attack of War a few minutes ago. Once again War tried a spell, but as soon as it struck Colossus it flowed into nothingness. It took War a moment to realize her spell had failed.

In stunned amazement she looked up, and then her face fell in chagrin as she seemed to realize something. But it was too late, and Colossus swung with all his might before War could take any defensive posture. The blow sent shudders through the ground, and War literally went flying off.

Colossus grunted and sank to the ground, as the pain of War's earlier attack buckled his knees. Weapon X walked forward, his movements still stiff from the numbness that had spread through him from War's spell.

Iceman had recovered enough to walk up to them, but he was still in his normal human form. It would be a few more minutes before he could change to his frozen form. Storm walked up to them stumbling slightly, her eyes slightly glazed. Angel slowly stood as well, looking none the worse for wear. Colossus needed help though.

"We gotta get the russkie some aid quick. There's nothin' blocking our way to the Tower. Let's go there to find what we need." Weapon X took command, as Storm was incapacitated. Magneto had drilled them unceasingly on the chain of command. Iceman had originally felt embarrassed that he ranked fairly low in the hierarchy of leaders, and he knew that of the people in his group, he would be the last chosen as the leader. He knew his limitation now though, and understood that he would not make a very good leader. However he also knew that in case anything happened to Weapon X, he would have to take command, as neither Angel, Storm, nor Colossus were in any shape to take command.

He moved forward, getting ready to weaken any wall so that they could break through easily.

x---------------------------------x

"Magneto!" A blur swooped through the air as Magneto readied his attack. However, Polaris was too fast, and she slammed into Magneto, crushing his protective field by slamming into it with one generated with all her power. Magneto's hold over the magnetic currents slipped, and he fell to the ground, followed by a vengeful Polaris.

Magneto slammed into the ground, just managing to regain enough control to protect his back from being shattered. Before he could orient himself, Polaris struck again, sending out an EMP powerful enough to cause all electronic components in the surrounding two kilometers to go haywire. A dangerous move, especially considering the destructive potential of the Tower's battlements. However, the Tower had been long protected against such an attack, albeit it was expected to be one launched by Magneto not Polaris. As the EMP spread outwards, the Tower's systems shut down, except those powered through other means than electronic, using Celestial technology.

However Magneto was caught unawares and the EMP caused him to lose motor control for a few seconds. He fell to the ground, fumbling to get up when Polaris swooped down above him.

"I was born to fight you Magneto, raised to be the perfect assassin. My father trained me to kill you, and I will avenge his death now." Polaris lifted a hand, and Magneto floated upwards. His mind struggled to regain control of himself, and he tried to draw the magnetic currents he could feel around him to himself. But the EMP had staggered him, and Polaris was capitalizing on it.

She cocked a fist, and punched him in the head, stunning him further. She punched him again, but this time her punch caught him on the jaw, and he was propelled out of her grasp, and onto the ground in front of her. However, this time the punch had knocked him to his senses. The beautiful woman in front of him was so much like him he though to himself, pityingly. Angry, vengeful, ready to tear apart those that hurt her. She had had no guidance, save that form her father, the insane External Archanfel. He cursed Archanfel for so corrupting a child.

He set his mouth in a grim line as Polaris approached. The damage had been done, and it was his sorry job to exterminate those that threatened the security and peace of this world. Apocalypse had nearly destroyed the world, and Polaris was as vile as any of his underlings now.

He rose from the ground faster than Polaris could comprehend and immediately sent a beam of pure magnetic energy at Polaris, knocking her backwards. At the same time he shot forward, grabbing her by the throat and flinging her in the air, following within moments, and slamming into her back. She cried out in pain, but Magneto could tell that her back had not been broken. Her armor had protected her from that. He moved again, slinking around behind her as she struggled to adjust herself in the air, and pulling all metal in the area towards him, causing hundreds of small metallic objects to come flying through the air, directly at her.

Polaris had managed to regain enough control to repel most of them, and dodged the others, but it left her open for an attack by Magneto, who quickly utilized his advantage to push her away with a wall of magnetic force.

However she managed to repel the attack easily, and turned to him.

"Your old attacks won't work on me Magneto. I know all your moves, and I know how to avoid some of them. You don't know all of mine, and that is why you'll be the one to die today."

Polaris rushed forward, and Magneto flew forward to meet her, bracing himself for impact.

Polaris did the same, but at the last minute Magneto stopped, and began drawing energy form

Polaris, adding her power to his, managing to tap into more of the magnetic field than he normally could, exert more control, and in effect almost double his power.

She gasped in surprise, and then chagrin as she realized that he had done this before, when she had faced him the last time at the Tower, when Archanfel had died.

He quickly formed a shield in front of him, which was powerful enough to stop Polaris' charge. He then sent her flying with EMP at point blank range. Polaris smashed into the ground.

Magneto floated down nearby and watched her struggle to rise. Her nose was bleeding from the attack, much as Magneto's was from her earlier attack. She gazed at him blankly, and Magneto began to augment his strength, adding power to himself, readying for a blow that would snap Polaris' neck easily. Before he could however, he heard a yell. His wife, Rogue; and she was nearby. Then he heard Quicksilver shout in anger. And he heard his daughter scream. He knew he couldn't finish Polaris this quickly, so he backhanded her, knocking her out. He then rose into the air, heading for the sound, fearing the worst.

x------------------------------------x

Sneaking was harder than he remembered. Then again, he didn't exactly remember all that much. Or maybe the problem was that he remembered too much. He could distinctly remember three Magneto's, one an enemy, one a friend, and then this one, so much like the friend, and yet different. And Xavier had been alive in this world. Alive until recently. Not dead and gone from before. Killed by. . . what? Bishop could not remember, and he knew that it was that which he could not remember that caused all of this.

The Tower was large, and generally well guarded, but Bishop had not found too much resistance. Most of the guards had gone to where the X-men had prepared an attack. Some of the guards he had taken out had been whispering that even Apocalypse had gone to take part in this battle. That did not bode well. From all accounts the Apocalypse in this world. . . ? was even crueler and more powerful than in the others. And his forces more strategically placed. That was most likely due to the fact that his External lieutenants had been in control of much of the operations for many years, while Apocalypse had concerned himself with something else.

Apocalypse had been ever wasteful.

Bishop had not known the location of Apocalypse's inner sanctum. It had not taken long to figure out where it was.

Two large double doors in front of him stood closed, while two mutant guards stood in front of them. Before they knew or understood what was happening, Bishop had darted in and pushed one to the side, while knocking the other unconscious with a controlled burst of his power. The other shot at Bishop with some projectile power, but Bishop shrugged off the pain and absorbed the power to add to his own. Before the stunned guard understood what had happened, Bishop had moved next to him and calmly snapped his neck. He then let the body drop to the ground. He moved to the doors, which opened for him.

Inside the doors was a large chamber, the roof of which extended far above. The walls were lined with large monitors, flanked by smaller ones, and terminals displayed data. Robed men sat at each terminal, entering commands, or merely reporting to other areas. Two elevations existed, a large one surrounding a smaller higher one. The middle one had a large throne on it, whilst the others had smaller thrones, if more ornate. Bishop knew that this was Apocalypse's war chamber, his battle room. The command centre. He looked to the side, and saw something that made him shy back in horror. Two cords snaked down form the roof, onto which the arms of a woman were shackled. A larger apparatus sprung out of the ground below the woman, attaching large tentacle like cords to the sides. The woman's face was bowed, and wispy white hair covered her face. Bishop instinctively knew the name of the woman.

"Destiny. What has he done to you. . .?" Bishop moved forward to help the woman. As he did the robed figures at the terminals suddenly sprung up in one motion and began walking towards him, their movements perfectly coordinated.

"Cease thy action, lowly dog, or face the wrath of those most loyal to the Lord Apocalypse." They seemed to intone as one, and Bishop stared at them bemusedly. He knew these foul wretches as well. A surge of anger and need for vengeance surged through him, and suddenly he let loose with all his power, felling the foul robed zombie-like Madrox copies. They had hurt him, they were foul, and they would DIE!!!

As the haze of hate and rage lifted Bishop turned back to Destiny.

As he watched her, her head moved slightly, and her bandaged, blind eyes looked at him, or in his approximate direction. It did seem as though Destiny was looking right at him though.

"And. . . so. . . the Dark, timeless man arrives. Well met, time hopper. Your coming gives me strength, for I perceive my chains too are broken. Fate binds us in so many different ways. And yet, I know, I _Know, _that my fate as always is thus. My sight is a gift and a curse. Tell Raven that I love her, and wish her well."

As she spoke Bishop became aware of a dull thumping sound, as though solid stone was hammering slowly against the metallic structure of the large room's interior. Suddenly the wall behind Destiny began to move, sliding along a predetermined path, and a massive corridor became visible behind her, a corridor stretching into dark gloom. The thumping grew louder, and then suddenly the gloom was dispelled by a bright light. Bishop covered his eyes, and ducked.

He blinked rapidly trying to adjust his eyes to the brightness. As he looked up he saw a large shape behind Destiny. It took a moment for him to clearly see the figure. It was all stone, it seemed, a statue of a man, decked in ancient attire, Egyptian it seemed, with a single jewel inscribed in the centre of the stone turban on the head.

"Thou hast encountered the future, timeless one. Now focus thine eyes upon the past. Verily it shalt be the last sight of thy eyes. I am Ozymandias, first to follow our glorious Dark Lord. I hath foolishly opposed him, and thusly serve my penance now, and forever, a chronicler of deeds come and gone. It is meet that we join in battle, for what does one displaced by time have to fear most but the past?"

Bishop would have bet his life that the stone man, Ozymandias could not have moved as fast as he did, until the moment that Ozymandias struck. A stone fist caught Bishop hard on the shoulder, and he rolled with the blow. As he fell to the floor, he clutched his shoulder in pain. Physically he was no match for the brute, Bishop knew.

Ozymandias again moved quickly, rushing Bishop. Bishop leapt back and focused his energies on a high intensity beam of force. It had about as much effect as throwing a brick on a tank. Ozymandias shrugged off the attack as though it were nothing, and continued on, as implacable as the rock he was seemingly made up of. Bishop backed away warily, knowing that he was in trouble.

"Do not be disheartened anomaly out of time. You have the means to defeat this foe, you simply must use them."

Bishop heard Destiny's words, but he couldn't focus on them. He expected Ozymandias to finish the seer quickly, but apparently Ozymandias did not care to do anything about the old mutant woman. His attention was all on Bishop. Bishop found that a little flattering, and a little irritating. He vowed to never again pick a fight with a rock.

"Cease thy running worm. Thou art as dead as thy fellow X-men. It is meet that you die quickly rather than prolong thy agony."

Bishop was growing a little annoyed by the archaic way Ozymandias spoke. It was bad enough that he was going to be killed by a rock, but a poetically inclined rock was taking things too far.

He also realized that his humor was out of place, and he discarded it, for the time being.

"You speak a lot of bullshit, and make few factual statements. Now kill me already, and spare me your stupid way of talking, it's gotten a little old, I mean, for a chronicler of deeds, you seem to hang around in the past a bit too much. Then again, that is your day job isn't it?"

Bishop ducked under another punch, and rolled backwards. He smoothly picked up the body of a Madri and flung it at Ozymandias. Ozymandias smoothly swung his arm, and the Madri's body crumpled under the force of the blow, flying through the air to land against the wall, and then fall to the ground in a heap. The monolithic man of stone moved forward inexorably, and Bishop backed away cursing.

Ozymandias smiled, for the first time in ages, seeing a man retreat from his advance, much as it had once been, before Apocalypse had come to tear away all that he once held dear, and committing him to a life of eternal slavery. A world which he accepted now, knowing that to rise against Apocalypse was his own doom. And over the years, his life had eroded away all feelings and emotions, leaving him much like the stone his flesh had become.

"Face my minions." He spoke a single word, and the very walls behind him suddenly came alive as carved statues of ancient warriors came to life, running forward with no expression.

Bishop leapt back as one of them swiped at him with its blade, and then rolled to the side as another attempted to skewer him. Using footwork he had not employed for nearly a decade, Bishop leapt towards a third, and using the stone as a springboard, leapt onto another, snaking an arm around the head, and gripping the sword arm. It was like clutching unmoving rock. Bishop tried with all his strength to move the arm he held, but the statue would not be budged, and then the hand began to turn, aiming the sword held in it towards Bishop.

However the creatures mindlessness worked against them. The other two leapt forward, and in their attempt to kill Bishop, they tore apart the one Bishop had been riding. Bishop fell back, a heavy stone sword in his hands. He could barely hold the thing upright, and he knew fighting with this thing would do him no good. He leapt backwards, his hands groping for anything. He found a metal chair and flung it at the soldiers, who cut it down with their stone swords. However their swords became chipped, and Bishop knew that they could only damage steel till a point when their swords would no longer be solid, but would crumble. He quickly turned and using his power tore one of the giant monitors down, backing away as it crushed one of the two soldiers.

Bishop ran to the monitor and using his power he managed to tear a part of it out of the framework. Not a perfect staff, but an adequate one for the moment.

Bishop ran forward, attacking the stone warrior. The warrior fought back, blocking nearly every attack. However Bishop's weapon was made of a metallic material, and it chipped away the stone, until the warriors sword shattered before a powerful cut. With a sudden reversal, Bishop cut the warrior in two.

The warrior fell, and Bishop stood triumphant, but tiring. A flicker of movement and a sudden thumping alerted him to Ozymandias charging him from the side. Bishop ducked to the side to narrowly avoid the charging behemoth. As Ozymandias slowed and turned to face Bishop again Bishop struck chopping at the stone body with his makeshift staff, until Ozymandias turned suddenly and grabbed the weapon. Before Bishop could react it was pulled out of his hands and tossed aside. Bishop backed away again until his back hit a wall. He looked up and saw that he was directly below Destiny. Ozymandias approached him, and Bishop knew that he had backed into a corner. Escape to the left was impossible as the monitor had fallen there, and escape to the right was unlikely, as Ozymandias' soldier lay there, the rubble blocking his path. It was unlikely that he could navigate it before Ozymandias reached him. For a being so large and made of stone, he was surprisingly fast. Ozymandias' grin grew wider.

"Now timeless one. Use your power and destroy the support pillars holding me up. The chain reaction will cause the upper half of my confinement to fall upon him."

Bishop gawked up at the seer.

"But that would kill you as well!" Bishop understood immediately that what she said would work, but he also knew that it would kill her.

"Do not argue with me! You WILL do it, for I have seen it. I am not important enough for you to balance my life against a world. Besides, I will die anyway, for the release of my love has freed me, and I will simply give into my pain and die. Now Do IT, I am Destiny, and even timeless ones have to do as destiny requires!"

The woman's voice was harsh and unforgiving, and Bishop knew immediately that he WOULD do as she said, for her reasoning made perfect sense. And if he did not move fast, Ozymandias would reach him.

With a yell of anger he spun around and pushed his hands onto the surface of each pillar like shackle holding up Destiny. His power sprung from his hands, and tore the pillars apart, at the same time burning his palms, which had been placed on the point of contact. He gritted his teeth against the pain, and held on till the pillars were gone. Behind him he heard Ozymandias gasp in surprise.

"Thou wouldst not! Thou canst not!" Ozymandias backed away as the horrifying truth became clear to his all seeing eyes. He shied back as a rumble began above him, and then the entire apparatus Destiny had been chained to broke free of the ceiling and tumbled down.

Bishop realized that Destiny had been caught between two amazing forces, and realized that she had been holding up an amazing amount of weight. As he looked up he saw Destiny smile.

"The power of time is amazing, you yourself know this. The technology allows me to hold it up, as long as I continue to see the future, and transmit it to the monitors. With your attack you destroyed that necessity, and in effect freed me to do as I will. Tell Raven I love her. And thank you." Then her mouth became set, and strangely she relaxed. As she did, her bindings sprung free and the large apparatus above her came down upon her, and slid down the roof as it did, the mass of equipment falling towards Ozymandias.

"No! Master!" Ozymandias fell to his knees and put his hands above his head protectively.

The embodiment of the future came together with the embodiment of the past explosively in the present. Bishop stared in awe as Destiny was crushed between Ozymandias and the tons behind her for a split second, before the masses of equipment fell upon Ozymandias, crushing him utterly, and then exploding.

The shockwaves sent Bishop flying, and he slammed into a wall.

He slumped to the ground, unconscious.

x--------------------------------------x

As soon as she was able Rogue had tried to find her family, and had succeeded in finding her two step children. They had quickly decided to stick together in case of any attack and attempt to find the others before splitting up. They realized they had been flung further away than most others, and had swung closer to the Tower's walls in order to sneak better. And if they found an entrance, then they could cause further havoc from the inside, which was after all their main goal. To ensure that Bishop would find his way to Apocalypse's inner sanctum, and from there devise a way to escape to his true world. And perhaps heal this one.

They had stumbled across a large turret, possibly for surface to air attacks, and had begun destroying it. The more damage they caused Apocalypse, the better.

They had no sooner begun when Scarlet Witch suddenly shouted a warning from above, where she was watching. Quicksilver and she turned to face the coming challenge, ready for anything. Or so they thought.

Within seconds of Scarlet Witch's warning, their enemy had shown up. And Rogue knew that they were not ready for Him.

Apocalypse had moved with frightening speed, crossing meters in moments, and stood before them.

"And so I find the children and wife of Magneto. You are all gifted, and have all proven yourselves strong." Typical Apocalypse rhetoric thought Rogue as he spoke.

Then Apocalypse pointed a thick finger at Scarlet Witch.

"You however, are beyond even your father. You do not only possess mutant powers, but can tap into the arcane world. Of all the foes I have faced, it is the wielders of sorcery that have proven to be the greatest challenges. Selene, Saul, even that maddening philosopher Strange. However with all of them I was not able to grasp what source they tapped into. They were each to set in their ways, even War, as Selene is now known, and who is utterly my creature, is too set in her usage of her powers to effectively explain it to me. You however are young, and yet untaught. You will learn, and as you do so shall I."

Saying so Apocalypse began moving towards Scarlet Witch, as though he intended to just take her.

"Why don't ya'll just take a step back, and figure out that we all ain't about ta let ya have her Apocalypse." Rogue yelled her challenge to Apocalypse, and then flew forward, her body lanced to strike. As she did, Quicksilver took to his feet and raced towards Apocalypse. He managed to land more than ten blows before Apocalypse managed to retaliate. As Quicksilver struck at him, Apocalypse doubled in size, and before even Quicksilver could adjust, the area he was attacking, now Apocalypse's thigh, suddenly grew spikes. Quicksilver yelled an oath and reeled backwards, just managing to stop himself from impaling his arms.

Rogue had reached Apocalypse and she struck his chest, causing even Apocalypse to stagger backwards.

He smiled at her.

"Very impressive Rogue. You are truly fit. . ." his expression darkened with the threat of sudden violence, "but NOT fit enough!" So saying he extended a hand that snatched Rogue out of the sky, and flung her to ground in front of him. Before Rogue could regain her footing, his hand crashed down on her.

Above her Rogue distantly heard Scarlet Witch scream in anger, before suddenly thrashing purple flames flared up around and below Apocalypse.

Apocalypse smiled at Scarlet Witch from inside the flames.

"You are not quite so strong yet that any magical attack of yours will cause me any harm. Sorcerers such as Saul who had had centuries to perfect their art could not defeat me, and their weakest attack was a hundred times stronger than this," he gestured around him at the flames to indicate what he meant.

Rogue slowly got to her feet again, and this time Apocalypse didn't bother to punch her. He instead kicked her hard enough to send her flying. She landed with a crunch on the base of the turret she had helped destroy, creating a dent in the metal the size of her body.

Before Quicksilver could initiate another attack, Apocalypse brought his hand a mere foot away from Quicksilver. Before Quicksilver could back away a sudden burst of power sent him flying back. He lay in a heap, his Kevlar outfit partially torn, his eyes glazed over.

Apocalypse turned to Scarlet Witch.

"Now you will come with me." His left hand darted forward and grabbed her. Before she could attempt to escape, a sudden surge of power sent shockwaves up her spine and she went limp in his fist.

Rogue struggled to stand, but Apocalypse's attack had left her numb, and she could not move properly yet. Apocalypse spared her a glance, but then turned and walked away.

Rogue had just managed to get to her feet, when Magneto showed up. He flew over to her, and landed by her, taking her in his arms.

"Rogue? Are you all right? What happened?" He held her tenderly, brushing back the hair from her forehead. Magneto's concern deepened as he noticed that Rogue's nose was bleeding. It took a lot to make Rogue bleed.

"Apocalypse happened Erik. He took her. . . he took Wanda." Rogue sighed and fell into his arms.

x---------------------------------------------------x

Emma and Psylocke had finally left Rumik's body, and begun to find their away around the Tower. Exodus had trapped them better than he knew. They had no idea where to go. Psylocke's grief did not help either. While Emma would have generally enjoyed Psylocke's helplessness, at this time it was a hindrance she could much easily do without.

Emma knew that she would not easily be able to find her way around the Tower, and she also knew that Psylocke, despite having been a captive for a few days, would not know how to navigate the Tower either.

Emma sighed. She would have to trust her instincts, rely on luck and gut feeling alone. Emma did not like it, although she had been forced to do so before. Before she became the White Queen. And Exodus's pet. . . Emma thought bitterly.

Emma shook her head to rid herself of the memories. Enough time later to deal with the bitterness that meeting Exodus again had caused.

"Come on Psylocke. We'll head in this direction. Something tells me that's where we need to go." She didn't add that she was playing blindly, trusting to luck more than anything else. No need to let Psylocke get ahead in their competition, just in case she made a recovery sooner than expected.

Walking down the corridors, seemingly at random, Emma was struck by the seeming random efficiency of the Tower. It was meant to be a militaristic compound, yet echoes of the Externals machinations remained. Echoes of the duplicitous nature and ambition of the one time rulers of these halls.

Echoes of Emma's own life at one time.

"Wait." Emma stopped as Psylocke suddenly moved forward purposefully. She narrowed her eyes at the beautiful Englishwoman. Psylocke should not be so confident already. Then again, it was better in many ways. Having a functional companion was better than having a moping child. Of course, the latter afforded Emma near certain long term advantage in their contest. She shook her head suddenly. Not half an hour had passed since they had nearly been killed by Exodus for their lack of working together, and the underlying hostility between them, and already she was back to thinking about their 'game'. Long standing habit she supposed, then dismissed the thought as Psylocke tensed up ahead.

"What is it?" Emma spoke louder than Psylocke, who hurriedly shushed her. Emma felt childish anger swell in her, and felt the urge to tell Psylocke to shush herself.

"I can hear someone. . . a man, screaming. Come on Emma, we must help whoever is being tortured in this hell!" Psylocke ran forward, as silent as a ninja. Emma couldn't help but wonder that Psylocke would have probably made a very talented ninja. She was also worried that Psylocke intended to somehow take revenge for Helena. And her headstrong actions might get her killed right now. Emma would have to make sure that Psylocke used her anger constructively.

Emma shook her head in slight derision. She had to stop being so damn manipulative. . . but it was so much fun. She smiled and followed Psylocke.

The hall they entered was like any other, except that in the centre of this one rose a contraption that could only be a torture device. It was shaped like an arrow, with sloping sides off the pointed top. Each side held manacles, she presumed from the sight of a man strapped into them, to hold the tortured. The man moaned in pain, but hung his head back again. A smooth high forehead, with jutting black eyebrows. A classic nose, and wide slightly full lips. The hair was long and black, and tied back in a ponytail. Yet not a rugged look, but a look of sheer aristocracy. The mans chest was bare, and he wore plain black hose like tights, with sleek leather boots. Emma would have known that face anywhere.

The sideburns were similar to Exodus's old ones, in the style that was preferred by the Hellfire Lords Cardinal. The style preferred by the men Emma had once considered her allies, if not friends.

Emma had never expected to see Sebastian Shaw again, thinking him buried under tons of rubble, sure that even his extremely powerful mutation could not handle such sheer weight.

It appeared she was wrong.

"Shaw. . ." Emma didn't realize she had begun speaking until the sound crossed her lips in a whisper. Psylocke gave her a quizzical look.

Emma moved forward and suddenly a scowl demonized her features. There were two other men in the room, two robed figures. Two people who were torturing the man who had nearly helped raise her, so long ago.

The man who had been among those to corrupt her slowly. A man much like Exodus. A man she hated.

Suddenly Psylocke was moving, her purple hued dagger jutting out above her wrist. Before the two robed men could even take any defensive action, she had fried their synapses. They dropped to the floor, their cowls parting enough for Emma to see that they were likely dead; with the amount of blood leaking from their nose Emma wondered if they had even rudimentary psionic defenses placed.

However their violent deaths had resulted in the release of Sebastian Shaw, and the former Black King of the Hellfire Club slowly rose from his backward bent position slowly, and with great pain.

"So. . . I have the X-men, and my one time co-ruler to thank. . . you look as lovely as ever my dear Emma." Shaw smiled weakly, and Emma was sure he was milking his former position, and current situation for all he was worth. Which wasn't much, not to Emma.

"You're a fool Shaw. I don't know how you survived, or what you did to be tortured, but it's all moot. I'm here for one thing now. To kill you." Emma dived into his mind, tearing out his secrets, learning all she could about him. So. . . he was Apocalypse's one time spy, and his own passion had been his undoing. A pity.

Emma began to laugh.

"What is so amusing, woman?" Shaw was standing up now, nearly completely healed. His power allowed him to convert any sort of physical harm into personal strength. His hurts had probably already made him doubly as strong. He was edging closer to her, but Emma knew that he was scared of her. He was afraid of any telepath. And he wasn't quite as invulnerable as he had always claimed.

She quickly sent what she had learnt to Psylocke, and saw the woman's face darken.

Shaw moved closer to Emma, talking, trying to bluff his way close enough to her, at times placating, at times angry. Emma didn't care. Her smile widened as she saw Psylocke draw out her psychic knife again. Her smile flustered Shaw even more, and his frown deepened.

"Why Sebastian! You shouldn't frown, it makes you look your real age. . . sooo. . . old." Emma laughed, a tinkling silver laugh, and she saw Shaw's face redden in anger. In his disoriented state he was in no shape to face her. She knew which buttons to push.

"After all. . . if you had to satiate yourself with an alien. . . you really must be getting old. Your sexual prowess waning so much?" Shaw could never take assaults on his sexuality. He snarled and rushed forward. However Psylocke was faster, and she latched onto him from behind, and sunk her psychic knife into his head.

Shaw screamed and his hands clutched at Psylockes hand driving the knife in, but her psionic discharge was having its effect. Shaw fell to the floor, writhing in mental agony.

"Wait Psylocke. Let me finish this." Psylocke stepped back as Emma stepped forward and knelt to look into Shaw's face.

"You molded me into a ruthless manipulative creature all those years ago Shaw. . . and now I'm paying you back. . . for all your favors. . ." Emma smiled in vindictiveness as she deliberately, and slowly shut down his mind. Shaw's defenses had been broken by the torture and Psylocke's knife, and he could only lie helplessly, his nerves paralyzed as Emma killed him.

Emma stood after it was done and turned to Psylocke.

"I appreciate you help. Have you exorcized your need to kill yet?" Psylocke raised an eyebrow, and then shook her head grimly.

"No. I want vengeance Emma. And that can only come once we face Exodus again." Psylocke spat out the Externals name.

Emma nodded.

"Come on then. We'll find him, and the others, and take our revenge." Emma turned and they walked out of the hall, and onwards.

x-------------------------------x

They all met up again near the turret where Scarlet Witch had been captured. Magneto had torn apart the turret and headed inside, in an attempt to reach Apocalypse's own inner sanctum, if that was where Apocalypse was going with his daughter. Rogue had healed, especially after a small absorption from both Sabretooth and Weapon X. Now Cyclops, Phoenix, Rogue, Angel and Storm searched for Apocalypse in the lower levels of the Tower, while Quicksilver, Colossus, Weapon X, Sabretooth, Psylocke and Blink searched the middle. Nate Grey, Sunfire, Iceman and Emma Frost, who had been found with Psylocke attempting to leave the Tower, stayed close behind Magneto, following the path he had left to Apocalypse's lair. Cecilia had healed some of them as best she could, but she could not follow them now, and so she remained in the lower levels, in her infirmary. Cyclops disliked leaving her there. . . but he had no other choice.

Cyclops felt like sighing as they followed another corridor. The Tower had been his home for much of his life, and returning to it was like coming full circle. Sinister's laboratory had been only a few meters away from where they now walked. Or sneaked.

They had faced minimal resistance, most of their possible opponents being destroyed in the initial assault. Cyclops also knew that this only left the best of them for the X-men and himself to handle. The Elite Mutant Force, The Prelates, and Apocalypse and his Lieutenants, and one more horseman, War. Given that they were inside the Tower now, Cyclops assumed that his opponents would be inside the Tower as well.

After their showdown in the now destroyed grounds outside, Cyclops was itching to get his hands on his brother. If for no other reason than to stop Havok from hurting anyone else. Havok would be after him, Cyclops knew, and therefore it was his responsibility to take him out.

A sudden shudder ran through the ground and the Tower, and everyone braced themselves. Cyclops looked around quickly, but the tremor had passed. It wasn't the first. For the last ten minutes there had sporadic tremors. This was the third.

Cyclops wondered what it was for all the time it took them to turn the corner.

"Ah'll be damned. . .!" Rogue lifted her hand in a command to stop.

Directly ahead of them was a massive hole in the wall, as though someone had blasted through it. The someone was also very apparent. A few meter's down the hall beyond the hole stood Apocalypse, in his arms a very unconscious Scarlet Witch.

"You X-men are extremely persistent. An attribute that can be both a strength and a weakness. A strength if your opponent is unprepared. I on the other hand, am always prepared." Apocalypse's voice was impossibly deep, and as he spoke he swelled a little in size.

Cyclops immediately darted left, as Storm went to the right, each flanking their team from either side, engaging Apocalypse in a V formation. Angel took to the air directly above Rogue and Phoenix, who faced down Apocalypse.

Apocalypse laughed, a great booming sound that echoed through the hallways.

"Do not be so foolish as to think you can stop me. . ." His gaze shifted from Rogue to Cyclops.

"So, the traitor returns. You would have been given amongst the highest of honors amongst my armies Cyclops. Once I rid myself of Sammael, you would have taken his place as the general of my armies, the general for the final strike against the Human High Council. As it is, they are a negligible threat now, but my victory has come at the cost of my Sea Wall. The defensive Perimeter has been destroyed in some areas, and its perfection against any alien attack is lost. A weakness I had not expected grew within you. A great disappointment."

"Enough talk." Phoenix snapped, and immediately concentrated her attack, telepathically bombarding Apocalypse's mind.

Cyclops unleashes his attack at the same time, completely synchronized with Phoenix, due to their mental rapport. Storm hesitated, knowing her attacks could well kill Scarlet Witch. Angel swooped down from above, his fist cocked to strike down Apocalypse. Rogue also moved forward, gliding towards Apocalypse.

In a nonchalant manner, Apocalypse tossed Scarlet Witch at Angel, who quickly modified his attack to a desperate grab for Scarlet Witch. He caught her in mid air, and lurched slightly under the weight.

Cyclops and Phoenix's attacks seemed to have no effect, and Apocalypse turned to deal with Rogue. Rogue struck at Apocalypse with unbelievable speed, and earth-shattering strength, but Apocalypse smoothly evaded each blow as easily as though Rogue was moving slower than a snail. After Rogue had tried, unsuccessfully to strike Apocalypse three or four times, Apocalypse finally struck back. He grabbed Rogues wrist and then brutally swung her around in mid-air to slam against a wall. Without letting go he again smashed her into another wall, and then again, and again, smashing her body left and right into the walls on either side, until one of them broke under the force, and he left Rogue to fall sprawling on the other side of the newly made hole.

'Face the rage of nature itself foul demon!" Storm's eyes were shining bright blue, and suddenly sparked as Storm gestured towards Apocalypse. Lightning sizzled out the air and struck Apocalypse. Cyclops could feel the rush of air around him as suddenly Ball lightning sparked to life and hurtled towards Apocalypse.

Storm struck him multiple times, before Apocalypse finally seemed to notice her attack.

He turned to look at her and then smiled. A chill ran through Cyclops as he saw Apocalypse's inhuman smile, and the implicit pain in it. Storm's next Ball Lightning Apocalypse smashed his hands over, and then before Storm could comprehend what had happened, his hand smashed into her body, elongating from the elbow. The electrical energy trapped in his palm hurtled full force onto Storms body, and she fell twitching and spasming.

Apocalypse then finally turned his attention to Cyclops and Phoenix.

"A deadly combination you two are, every thought and action one. If I were a lesser being, I would have doubtlessly fallen by now." Apocalypse's left hand smashed into Phoenix, who just managed to pull up a telekinetic shield; in vain, as Apocalypse's attack broke through the shield, and Phoenix was flung backwards to lie sprawled on the ground, dazed.

Apocalypse's right hand moved towards Cyclops and before Cyclops could move to defend himself, the hand had snapped shut over his visor, and was lifting him up by the head. Cyclops immediately channeled all his power to his right gauntlet, and struck at Apocalypse's hand, freeing himself, and making Apocalypse grunt in surprise.

"I see Sinister's improvements have increased your ability to use your powers. Interesting. Your one weakness now exploited as a strength. Sinister was truly a genius. I almost regret his death." As he spoke Apocalypse's hand came together in the air in front of Cyclops, moving faster than Cyclops believed possible for something to move, as fast as Quicksilver himself could run. The hands clapped together and the shockwave sent Cyclops hurtling backwards.

In the space of two minutes Apocalypse had knocked down their entire team, Cyclops realized dazedly.

Meanwhile Angel finally got his bearings, after an unsuccessful attempt at waking up Scarlet Witch. Before he would attack Apocalypse though, the millennia old mutant turned to him and knocked him down from the sky with one hand. Before Angel could move, Apocalypse slammed his foot into his leg, crushing the bone underneath his boot. Angel screamed in pain, and rolled on the ground clutching at his broken left leg.

Apocalypse gathered Scarlet Witch into his arms again and walked towards the far end of the hall. The wall itself opened before him this time, and he walked into an elevator of some sort. Before they could even get back to their feet, Apocalypse was long gone.

Cyclops had to admit, looking at the condition of his team, that they were no match for Apocalypse.

* * *

Boobles………..

next update asap. have patience, only one more chappy and an epilogue to go.


	14. My Immortal: Part IV: Eternal

And so it ends. The graaaannndd finale. Finished by me about 6 months back. Very late update. What can I say, life sucks.

Anyway, it's finally over.

So yeah.

Other than the epilogue, which I'll update in a couple of weeks.

Astonishing 18… awww, come on, I was sooo waiting for Cyclops to be really shooting people left right and centre. He should. Joss Whedon said he would be in some interview crap.

And Civil War 5 seemed really… incomplete. I mean, I was surprised when I was going through it and it ended. I mean all the previous issues left an ending that you could say, yeah this is the end of this issue, this issue just… ended.

And I'm sorry, Onslaught Reborn, without X-men? WTF???

And Civil War; X-men tie in was utter crap. OK, issue 1, I was like, ok so it does affect the X-men. Issue 2… OK… Sentinels just went robotech on us. Issue 3… Fine… action, but seriously… Issue 4… Oh for Fucks sake! Fine, you resolved the sentinel issue, but what, the Xmen all hold hands and sing along? It would have been so much better to keep tensions between Bishop and the original X-men.

Anyway, I'm done being a critic, enjoy.

**My Immortal IV: Eternal**

Scarlet Witch had regained consciousness as she heard Angel scream in pain. Slowly opening her eyes, she felt herself being gathered up by Apocalypse and then being carried by him away from the X-men.

She tried to move but her muscles would not obey her, and she lay limply against Apocalypse's chest. Apocalypse swiftly moved through a door, and Scarlet Witch could see only the dim wall behind her.

Suddenly she heard a hissing sound, and then the cubicle she was in began moving upwards, at what Scarlet Witch realized was a near frightening pace. In mere moments the 'lift' smoothly came to a stop. The doors hissed open again and she was carried along by Apocalypse.

Suddenly Apocalypse stopped. He dropped Scarlet Witch. She fell to the ground and weakly managed to turn her head. From between Apocalypse's boots she could see a room in shambles. Destroyed monitors lined the walls, with broken terminals ringing them; large pillars and other structures of indeterminate material lined the floor, broken. In the centre of the room stood a massive throne, whose back she could see; surrounded, at a lower level by other thrones. Just behind the thrones, Scarlet Witch could make out a very large amount of debris, made of similar material, yet she could make out metal and wires twisted around the rubble.

The room looked as though a war had been waged there. Off to the side Scarlet Witch could see broken statues of… what looked like ancient Egyptian warriors… It stood to reason, surmised Scarlet Witch. Apocalypse was of Egyptian descent, or so her father had told her. Her father was a confusing and complex man. He sometimes kept things from them, especially her and Pietro, and yet he shared many other things with them that he told no one else, other than perhaps Rogue. He brimmed with power… power he sometimes did not use to its full extent, fearful of the damage he could wreak. Only thrice had he ever used his power to its full extent. Once again Nemesis, when he destroyed his body, the second time against Apocalypse, in their first ever battle. The latest time had been against Plague, after the horseman had nearly killed Rogue.

Her relations with her father had soured once he married Rogue, and her friendship with Remy had led to an increased dislike of Rogue.

Apocalypse was moving now, and Scarlet Witch could see his fists clench, slightly. Could it be that Bishop had been successful? Her fathers plan was only half formulated, and based on blind luck, something he did not do often. Trusting to luck had always been Gambit's forte, and his risk taking had both annoyed and amused her. Of course, he had begun taking greater and greater risks after Rogue and Magneto had gotten together, and he had left to form Roulette. Then again, most of the issues had been resolved, at least between her and her father, as well as her acceptance of Rogue as a stepmother. The fact that Rogue was pregnant may have had something to do with that. The realization that Rogue could have a child, and that she would have a baby sibling… it had been enough to shred away the barriers Scarlet Witch held deep in her heart. Over the last year she had grown closer to Rogue, and had begun rebuilding her relationship with her father.

Scarlet Witch wondered if she would ever see him again.

-----

Apocalypse began to walk towards the thrones now, to the side of them, heading for the ruined area behind the thrones. Suddenly the topmost throne began to move, spinning around slowly.

Apocalypse turned and stared as the occupant of what was obviously his throne came into view.

"It cannot be!" Apocalypse's voice boomed in disbelief.

Scarlet Witch slowly got to her elbows and saw Bishop rising slowly from the throne. She wondered what he was doing. Had he or had he not managed to complete his mission? And was what he had said trustworthy, or was all of this a huge trap?

"Why not Apocalypse? This damned world should not be, yet it is. Your lackey tried to finish me off before I could put things right, but he fell before my power." Bishop stood looking down at Apocalypse impassively.

"That is impossible! He was stronger than you!" Apocalypse sounded amazed, the first time Scarlet Witch had ever heard him. It was better that he was unprepared for once. It would make it easier to try to defeat him. She slowly got up until she was on her elbows and knees, her joints still not moving properly; still numb and hurting.

"Me, maybe. Her no." Bishop pointed to the rubble, and Apocalypse seemed enraged by what he saw.

"So… Destiny sought to take matters into her own hands. The future cancelled the past, and leaves me with nothing but the present. It does not matter. The High Council is finished, and soon you X-men will follow. Already Magneto is coming, as are the rest of your idealistic friends. My own forces will arrive as well, and then the final battle shall begin. However, you are unnecessary. Your doom was foretold by the seer, and it shall come to pass now." Apocalypse was sure of himself again, and that was a bad sign.

Scarlet Witch forced herself to stand, but she could only get up into a sitting position. It would have to do. Focusing inwards, she began whispering ancient runes to herself, clearing her thoughts so that her concentration was fixed upon the spell she was preparing.

Meanwhile Bishop had engaged Apocalypse, leaping from the throne, and in a feat remarkable for a man his age, he somersaulted over Apocalypse and landed behind him, his fists blazing with temporal energy.

"The sheer amount of temporal energy in this place is amazing. The death of Destiny and Ozymandias released enough energy to keep me fully charged for weeks. I can take in power equivalent to that of a nuclear bomb, Apocalypse. Care to challenge me fully powered?" Bishop sounded almost… carefree, as though he was exhilarated in combat.

"Your pitiful powers cannot compare to mine, cockroach. To me you are as an insect, to crush beneath my heel. Understand what you are truly facing." As he spoke Apocalypse's own fists began to glow with energy, and he moved slowly but purposefully towards Bishop, towering over him.

------

Scarlet Witch threw her head back as she felt the arcane power surge through her body.

Screaming an incantation, she hurled all the arcane energy she had built up towards Apocalypse. Before the massive mutant could even think of retaliating, a light blue colored nimbus surrounded him. Apocalypse tried to break free of his confinement, but the spell was strong enough to hold him.

"Interesting work. I would have expected nothing less from the legendary daughter of Magneto, the Scarlet Witch, and in the true world, a mainstay Avenger as well. You caught him at the perfect moment, arrogant and off guard." Bishop walked up to Scarlet Witch and offered her his hand. Scarlet Witch composed herself and took it, allowing herself to be steadied by the big mutant. Strangely she realized that Bishop looked completely sane, and that he was relaxed.

"What… about… the plan?" Scarlet Witch slowly said. Her voice was not yet perfectly healed, and her shouted incantation had exacerbated the problem.

Bishop shook his head slowly.

"Nothing. I wasn't here two minutes when that old statue of a monster Ozymandias began attacking me, and my power had little to no effect on him. Thankfully Destiny managed to rig herself up to fall on top of him, crushing and destroying herself, and Ozymandias. In a brilliant stroke she took away Apocalypses' power over the future and the past. Also, if there is a time traveling device, it isn't here… and I probably wouldn't know how to work it." Bishop turned and stared at Apocalypse.

Apocalypse laughed once, a great booming, mocking sound.

"You are foolish indeed if you think me beaten. And you have no comprehension of my power over time itself, Anomaly."

Without warning the spell suddenly backfired on Scarlet Witch, sending her reeling in pain. The nimbus around Apocalypse disappeared, and he moved forward fast. Before Bishop could even move, Apocalypse was there, his left hand grasping Bishop and lifting him in the air. Bishop struggled against the death grip of the hand, but Apocalypse moved in and as fast as a blur his right fist struck Bishops stomach. Ribs cracked before the enormous stress, and Bishop flew through the air like a rag doll, skidding to a halt just below a terminals cracked monitor.

"You sought to challenge me? Your plan was doomed before it even began Anomaly. Magneto is devious, but I have spent five thousand years devising strategic methods to counteract every probable, if not possible eventuality. Accidents are allowed of course, but in my experience, the threat of defeat by an accident, for a proactive and prepared individual is negligible. Farewell anomaly. I have no further interest in you. Your genes may provide suitable fodder for McCoy though. I would not lose your temporal abilities. My own personal attention must be centered on the arcane for now. Mastery of that art shall make me nigh invulnerable." Bishop struggled weakly to his feet, clutching at his chest and coughing up blood.

In a last ditch attack Bishop brought his hands together and ejected a massive stream of pure energy, directed at Apocalypse. Apocalypse grunted, but gave no more reaction. As Bishops energy attack faltered, and his arms drooped, Apocalypse moved forward, his hand raised. Bishop could barely move, and he could not tap into his reserves of energy. He was too hurt to summon up the energy to fight, the temporal energy to utilize. Apocalypse's hand grew closer. Bishop sank to his knees, and Scarlet Witch watched in horror, unable to do anything, as Apocalypse's hand glowed once, and Bishop's body splattered onto the terminal, his entire front charred and completely blackened.

Apocalypse turned and walked towards Scarlet Witch, whose eyes widened in fear. She tried to go away, but Apocalypse advanced steadily, his gaze seeming to penetrate Scarlet Witch's very soul, and stripping away her defenses to reduce her to a quivering child.

x--------------------------------x

Jesse Bedlam and Meltdown had managed to gain entrance into the one time Thieves Guild Mines, the very same ones used by the X-men nearly a year ago to gain entrance into the Tower to save one of their own. The catacombs were now in bad condition, with many of the tunnels blocked or destroyed, by both Apocalypse's order and by Sinister's doing. Jesse moved carefully, his Prelate training making him cautious of the unknown. He moved boldly, as befitted one of his rank, but with extreme care. Close behind him came Meltdown, nervously looking around.

Jesse ran a hand through his curly hair, flicking his hand to the side to rid himself of the sweat dropping onto his face.

"Do you know where we're going?" Meltdown asked for what seemed the thousandth time. Jesse groaned, not bothering to reply. He didn't know where he was going, had never been to the catacombs before. And most of the tunnels had been destroyed, leaving them with very few options of where to go. And there could be enemies anywhere.

He came to a dead end, with two paths branching off, and wondered which way to go. He looked left, and then right, and then stopped, helpless.

"Let's just go right Jesse!" Meltdown was tired and hungry, and the catacombs unnerved her. She was a Rook, dealing death was her trade, but she was used to guarding the weak mutates and mutants in the containment chambers and the pens. She was used to her cushy power. This was… new.

"Yeah… go right… you might just end up back where you started from." Jesse spun around at the voice, but he couldn't see anyone. Meltdown shrank back towards Jesse. The voice was Terry Bedlam, but Jesse couldn't see his brother anywhere. Then out of the shadows the older brother appeared, dropping down from a ledge in the pitch black darkness above one of the archways of the fork.

"Terry! You're alive!" Jesse was overjoyed. Terry fended off his brothers attempts to hug him, pushing Jesse away.

"Looking happy to see me? You seemed pretty happy to run off with Tabby earlier." He sneered at Jesse, and then turned his attention to Meltdown.

"And you… 'I love you, Jesse' huh? What about us? What about our 'love'? You've been playing us Tabby, and I've had enough. You don't give two shits about either of us, do you?"

Terry advanced on Meltdown, who backed away.

Jesse's hand came down on Terry's forearm, holding Terry in place.

"Hey man, watch it… we knew the score with Tabby, don't be mad just because she chose me." Jesse gripped Terry's arm harder. Terry looked down at his brothers hand on his arm, then up at his brother.

"You're a fool Jesse… and I'm going to stop this witch's schemes right now. She's going to use us, abuse us, and then throw us away once she's done. She's small, but she's nasty." Terry brushed off Jesse's grasp and then advanced on Meltdown again.

"Jesse! Stop him!" Meltdown was scared, and Terry knew it. He smiled evilly.

Jesse put himself in front of Terry and Meltdown. He faced down Terry.

"I can't let you do it bro." Jesse's voice was thick.

"I'm going to kill her Jess. You'll have to kill me to stop me." Jesse sucked in his breath.

"Jesse! I order you to kill him!" Terry looked at her angrily, and Jesse turned in surprise, a sudden scowl darkening his features.

"You order me? I don't take orders from you, Tabby. And I wouldn't do that anyway." Jesse shook his head in anger.

Terry took the chance to punch his brother aside, flinging him into a wall. He moved forward, but as he drew nearer, Meltdown could tell he was having trouble breathing, and she could see his mouth trickled blood. She also knew that using her power would kill them all, and that even weakened as he was Terry could crush her easily.

"Look… Terry, you're right, it was all a lie. I used Jesse, and I'm sorry bout that, but seeing you get hit by the Juggernaut, I thought you were dead, and I was afraid. I loved you Terry! You were always more dominating, more exciting. Forget Jesse, we can get out of here! I can make your pain go away."

Terry shook his head.

"You're a fool Meltdown. Me and my bro… we're two of a kind. It was fun, but now… we're tired of running after a Rook." Jesse stood behind him now, shaking his head from the fall.

"You should have quit while you were ahead Tabby." Jesse crossed his arms.

"No! You guys… I like sneakers! Pretty purple onions… Siegfried and Roy! The Muffin Man!" Meltdowns eyes widened as she was unable to produce coherent thought, and she clutched her head. The brothers struck as one, Terry attacking high, Jesse low.

The cut down Meltdown quickly and efficiently. Terry and Jesse both reached for her neck at the same time.

"Go ahead man." Jesse said just as Terry said, "She's all yours bro."

They both laughed, and then Jesse gestured at Meltdowns head.

"Let's do it together man." Terry nodded in agreement.

"On the count of three… one… two… sonofabitch, you damn cheater!"

The catacombs echoed with the brothers' laughter.

x--------------------------------x

They moved quickly, trying to follow Magneto, but none of them could move as fast as the Master of Magnetism and the leader of the X-men, and Magneto had a lead on them. Nate floated more than flied, leading Iceman and Emma Frost, together on an ice sled, behind Sunfire, who, being the fastest of them followed Magneto's path as well as he could. Magneto was steadily heading upwards, tearing apart small obstacles before him such as walls and ceilings. If the material was resistant to his powers he had apparently used an object in the surrounding area. His daughters capture by Apocalypse had inflamed him to such an extent that he had seemingly loosed all restraint.

Sunfire cursed under his breath. Magneto had not really planned for anyone to follow him, and so had not taken any care. Before Sunfire, half the corridor stood collapsed, most likely by Magneto's mad rush.

"Damn… now what?" Nate slowed and turned to Sunfire. Behind Nate Sunfire could hear the sounds of Iceman's ice sled, the slight hissing skid as Iceman and Emma Frost moved towards them.

"I do not know. I can attempt to burn through this, but it shall take time." Sunfire turned to the rubble.

"No… I've had enough of this frantic pace. We know where Magneto's going. I don't want to risk staying in place too long. It'll be easier for us to loop around this place. Apocalypse's lair is near the old war room, where the Externals used to meet. From what Cyclops told us, the throne room should be a few floors up only. We should head that way." Emma Frost climbed off Iceman's sled as she spoke, the sled itself melting away into nothing as Iceman siphoned off the mass onto himself, making himself more dangerous looking.

Sunfire nodded, and they looked around the large corridor. There were many exits.

"Hmm… what does that sign say?" Iceman pointed at a sign a few meters ahead, partially hidden by the smooth rock like material that made up the Tower's inner walls.

Emma walked over and looked at the symbol embossed on the signboard. It appeared to look like a stylized O with a thin finger running down it. Behind the symbol was an emblem of a diamond. Emma frowned, and then telepathically contacted Phoenix.

_Jean? This is Emma. Ask Scott what a symbol of a diamond, with a circle with a thin line running down it stands for? We've lost Magneto… so we figure heading for the War Room would be a good idea, since Apocalypse is supposed to live right above it or something…? _

Emma had to wait only a second for Phoenix to reply.

_He says Sinister! That's Sinister's symbol, and… he's saying that it's… those halls are in Sinister's personal chambers. He's saying the War Room is a few floors… three floors below you. Go down two floors, and you'll find a large hall with two massive doors at one end… inside is the War Room. _

Emma sent back a telepathic nod, and then broke her link with Phoenix.

"Okay… this is not the place we need to be. We have to go down three floors, and apparently we'll find the war room there easily enough. Now we've tarried long enough, let's go!"

They returned the way they came, heading down three floors. As soon as they reached the third floor below them, they stopped. Quickly choosing a direction they moved, Sunfire again leading the way. The corridor looped around and suddenly they were in a massive hall, dominated by two huge doors at one end. The doors were partially open, and they could see signs of a battle fought inside. They moved quickly, heading for the doors, Sunfire leading them, Nate and Iceman close behind, with Emma bringing up the rear.

"Not so fast, race Traitor!" Suddenly a glowing beam shot towards Sunfire, who just barely managed to roll away form its path. He landed on the ground awkwardly, tripping and stumbling to a halt, desperately turning to meet the new threat.

"Holocaust!" Iceman's voice spewed venom.

The hulking son of Apocalypse stood there, his massive frame of regenerative armor looming over them. Holocaust smiled at the X-men.

"Pitiful, Sunfire. I would have expected more from the sole survivor of a once 'great' people. You are as weak and extinct as your one time countrymen, little fire mutant. I will take great pleasure in extinguishing your flame." Holocaust laughed and held up his cannon hand.

With a speed born of desperation Sunfire lunged through the air, his flame engulfed figure smashing into Holocaust before he could shoot him.

Holocaust was speechless for a split second as they flew through the air, and then he began laughing as the smashed into and through the big doors leading to the war room.

"A foolish move Sunfire. Brave, but foolish! Your death would have been quicker if you had fallen below one of my micro-nuclear blasts. Now I shall beat you to death." As he spoke his cannon hand smashed down on Sunfire's back, the armor not even feeling the heat.

Sunfire yelled in agony. Dimly he was aware of Nate, Emma and Iceman rushing into the room, and of someone confronting them from behind Holocaust, someone who gave them pause, as they hesitated.

Holocaust picked up Sunfire and used his cannon hand to bludgeon him across the face twice, before flinging him to the side.

Sunfire rolled over to his back and watched Holocaust walk towards him. He struggled to get up. Behind Holocaust he saw the others facing off against Apocalypse. The old mutant Bishop's body lay in another corner of the room, and Apocalypse held Scarlet Witch's cape in one large fist, her body dragging on the floor behind him. So Bishop dead, and Scarlet Witch if not dead, then soon to be. Sunfire felt his iron resolve and will crumble below the certainty that they would all die.

The thought was no sooner resolved in his mind that he felt a surge of hatred for Apocalypse and Holocaust. And with that hatred came rage and resolve. If he would die, then he would die fighting! Nobly.

Sunfire leaped to his feet, fueled by the adrenaline suddenly burning through him. The fire around him suddenly tripled in intensity causing Holocaust to hesitate. Even Apocalypse paused, turning to see if Sunfire could truly still have enough fight left in him.

Sunfire let the flames totally consume him, hurling himself at Holocaust, knowing even if successful, he would be burned to nothing by his attempt.

He felt himself strike Holocaust, and Holocaust screaming in either rage or pain. Then suddenly Holocaust's hand grasped Sunfire's throat and pulled Sunfire off himself.

Sunfire's hopes dimmed, and he felt Holocaust's cannon hand smash through his skull. For a split second Sunfire's eyes wept flames, and his body thrashed in Holocaust's hand, until it burned away to ashes. Holocaust loosened his grip, and ashes fell out of his hand, falling to the ground where flame still burnt. Sunfire's mask, broken clear off his face by Holocaust's cannon hand burned as well, destroying the last remains of the one time hero.

Nate, Emma and Iceman watched in horror as both Holocaust and Apocalypse faced them.

x--------------------------------------x

"I must applaud you. I had expected Magneto to be the first to find me. That you managed to do so does you credit. You are indeed fit. Or perhaps it was blind luck." Apocalypse walked slowly to the side, as the three mutants faced him warily.

"Capturing the Witch served two ends of course. Not only can I use her to study the mystic world of the arcane, but I can also inflame you all to the point that you will use your abilities to their maximum potential. Especially so in the case of her father. Magneto has rarely truly used his power. And each time he has, I have found it to be… refreshing. Seldom do I find challenges these days, and what being of respectable sentience can truly claim the title of being the 'greatest' till it has met and bested every challenge brought before it? Only two amongst you are worthy of my interest. The other is of course the one who somewhat bested my 'son', as you may put it. The creation of Sinister. Ah Sinister… A brilliant mind he had. Truly he was among the fittest of the Externals. Immortality brings with it both benefits and drawbacks, the deadliest amongst the latter being sloth. Too much time brings about indolence, which causes weakness. The weak should be culled. Only then can we dominate life, instead of life dominating us! Candra fell prey to this. And so she was culled. Even my greatest horseman, Selene, was in danger of becoming too slothful, with her physical desires. Vanity is another great weakness. For there to be pride, there must be strength, and challenge! Sinister was not a vain man, and neither was he slothful. Indeed he over occupied his time. However Sinister was ever curious about the genetic nature of life, and he strove to create perfection. Perfection is unattainable. That lesson was amongst the first I learned. Sinister did not."

Nate had grown bored of Apocalypse's speech, yet he did not move. His psionic senses reeled with the sheer amount of power resonating within the room. And it was not just Apocalypse, but rather hung around the room in almost palpable form. Something extremely important had happened, something that affected the entire planet. It was that more than any awe of Apocalypse that gave him pause. Well, that and the fact that he looked to Emma Frost to lead them.

She and Iceman had become rooted to their place, and Nate could smell the raw fear in them. However he could also sense the underlying steel of determination. And so he waited. He did not have to wait long. As soon as Apocalypse finished speaking, Emma moved forward a step.

"So you are trying to tell us that you massacred an entire species, and nearly caused global annihilation because of some misguided sense of competitiveness?" Emma sounded incredulous, yet Nate could not sense the shock her words conjured up. Rather she seemed more to be anxious, and only mildly surprised.

"Competitiveness? You do not understand then, I see. A pity. I expected more from you, White Queen. It is not competitiveness, but the desire to reach ones highest potential! And I… I have achieved near perfection, or as close to as is possible. As I said before, perfection is not possible. The lack of weakness is not perfection, but maximum potential. In over five millennia of life I have managed to beat down every weakness and replace it with strength. I believe myself to be near potential. Yet one can never maintain that potential through inaction. Only through constant challenge can one maintain potential, to constantly renew oneself. And through this… I have myself managed to keep-"

"Yeah yeah yeah. We know your doctrine. It's been blasted at us by you for most of our lives. And lemme tell you, ugly, for all your 'maximizing potential' crap… you still look like a dick with lips." Iceman's face, for all his mocking tone, was grim.

Apocalypse's lips curved slightly in a smile. His eyes however were flat, as always. Dull white orbs beneath his massive brow, his eyes were always dull, emotionless. Inhuman.

"Enough talk then. It is time to see whether this young one can offer me any challenge." Before Nate realized Apocalypse was talking about him, Holocaust ran forward towards Iceman, his cannon hand swinging around to bear on Emma. Emma cart wheeled to the side, Holocaust's deadly fire missing her by inches. Iceman bulked up with ice, using it to form spiky very solid looking armor. The air suddenly seemed chilled.

Apocalypse turned slowly towards Nate, his lips still curved in an almost smile.

"Now boy… let's see whether you are all that Sinister created you to be." As he spoke, his smile disappeared, and he seemed to blur forwards. One moment Apocalypse stood halfway across the room from him, near the rubble. Then next, Apocalypse was right next to him, by the door, his fist swinging around faster than his eye could follow. Instinctively Nate's psionic shields fell into place. Apocalypse's fist connected with the formless shield. As it did, Nate felt the shield shudder beneath the impact, as hard as though struck by one of Holocaust's blasts. Apocalypse's fists seemingly struck solid air, but Nate could feel his shield tremble below each hit, and he knew he couldn't take much more of this beating. His thoughts totally occupied with focusing the strength of his shield at the point Apocalypse struck at, he failed to notice that Apocalypse's knee had enlarged into a spiky protuberance. Suddenly he found himself facing three different attacks. The sudden attack at his midsection shattered his focus, and before he could fully recover and put up a strong shield, Apocalypse struck him hard with a right cross. Nate was flung aside, crashing to a halt near Bishop's broken and burnt body. He struggled to his feet, wiping away the blood pouring down his chin. His jaw felt like it was on fire. He swooned slightly, pain threatening to knock him unconscious. He willed away the pain, trying to keep it aside, focusing on Apocalypse, who was already rushing towards him.

Enough defense. No way I'm going to survive without attacking him. Nate channeled his power into a single deadly bolt of psionic power, hurling it at Apocalypse. In his minds eye he could see an intense bolt of glittering energy slam into Apocalypse's chest. As it struck, Nate felt the ground shudder, and realized his psionic power had taken physical form, such was its intensity. Apocalypse grunted, and paused his advance for a second, before shaking his head slightly and moving on.

Nate desperately hurled one after another of the psionic bolts, but each bolt seemed to do less and less damage. He sank to his knee's exhausted as Apocalypse reared above him.

"Now boy… I will finish you. You are powerful, true, but you are untrained, and so, will fall before my might." Apocalypse cocked a fist, ready to deliver a final crushing blow.

With a cry of desperation, Nate channeled all his power to his fists, striking at Apocalypse. His punches struck Apocalypse's midsection, psionic power strong enough to be seen as flashes of light every time Nate hit Apocalypse.

Nate felt wild elation rise in him as Apocalypse was forced back a step by the power of one of his punches. However as he struck again, Apocalypse grabbed his hand, and as he tried to strike with the other, Apocalypse grabbed that too, holding his arms outstretched.

"Enough lucky shots, boy. You are not experienced enough to beat me, and your raw power is no match for mine." He flung Nate down.

Nate was quick enough to prevent from being crushed by the floor, pulling up his shields before he struck the ground. The floor burst open beneath him, sending the two of them falling to the level below.

Nate struck the floor of the level below, and bounced, rising a few feet into the air before falling back down. The surprise and impact knocked away his shields again, and he lay on the ground, breathing hard, looking up at the gaping hole in the ceiling. He felt the ground shudder again, and he turned to see Apocalypse standing next to him.

"You live yet I see. Use your instincts boy, they will serve you well." He settled into battle stance, apparently waiting for him to rise.

Nate took to his feet again, staring at Apocalypse warily.

"Attack me." Apocalypse spoke simply, standing in one place, still in the same ready stance. Nate took to the air, floating a few feet in front of Apocalypse. He tried to focus his anger; anger at Sinister, at Apocalypse, at Holocaust… at all of his enemies, and the monsters who ruled this world. As his anger flared, so did his power. With a cry of rage he shot forward, his power directed in front of him.

This time he struck Apocalypse hard enough to send him flying.

He felt a swoop of excitement fill him. Apocalypse was down. His face settled in a grim fashion. It was time to end this fight.

As he flew towards Apocalypse, the monolithic figure tore out of the ground where he had fallen, and Apocalypse leaped up towards Nate. The two met in the air, where Apocalypse knocked Nate down with a double fisted smash. Nate fell on the ground. Apocalypse fell to the ground towards him, his fist ready to tear a hole though him. Nate instinctively ducked his head and lashed out with his power. A flare of psionic energy, flaring brighter than the sun struck Apocalypse square in the chest, knocking him back. Apocalypse fell to the ground. Nate again struck, this time with hundreds of slightly less powerful attacks, each one knocking Apocalypse back again, preventing him from finding his footing. With a roar of anger, Apocalypse let loose with an attack of his own, a massive surge of energy. It caused everything around Apocalypse to explode, and the shockwave knocked Nate clear off his feet. Nate stood slowly and leapt towards Apocalypse. Apocalypse and Nate went toe to toe, engaging in a fist fight. The blows were strong enough to cause small tremors every time one struck, with hollow booming noises accompanying each punch. Nate began lashing out with his hands and feet, but his attack was slowing, while Apocalypse's grew faster and harder.

Finally Nate sank to his knees in front of Apocalypse, too tired and hurt to continue. Apocalypse stared down at him.

"A fitting challenge you were boy. A pity you were not more experienced. Your instincts served you well. You however are no physical match for me. Not only am I far stronger than you, but I have trained my body for five thousand years. I am the best trained fighter in this world, faster and better trained than any other, including any trained by even the Hand, the one time fearsome ninja's of Japan. I met some of them on their terms, besting each easily, decreasing my strength and abilities to their level. I relished destroying each of them. As will I you." Apocalypse looked down at him, and Nate saw death in his dull white eyes. Nate struggled to one knee, and then focused his power. He needed one more shot!

Nate hurled his power out, focusing on destroying everything around him.

Apocalypse changed his attack at the last second. As Nate exploded with energy below him, Apocalypse set off a controlled reaction. The two powers collided, merged and exploded into something far more powerful. The powerful structure of the Tower, able to withstand the gravitational pull of a black hole, was shook to its very foundation.

Nate slipped into unconsciousness just as the two attacks met and exploded into something far worse.

x----------------------------------x

The sudden surge of power a few levels below him halted Magneto's headlong rush into the depths of the Tower. He paused mid-flight, erecting his shields around him, waiting for another surge. He didn't have to wait long. Suddenly greater and greater surges began to erupt in the magnetic field around him. Magneto felt the field shudder as atomic reactions took place very close by. Magneto realized that Apocalypse had to be below him. No one else could affect the earth's magnetic field like that otherwise.

He closed his eyes, giving in to the flow surrounding him, a flow that only he could command. Pinpointing the exact location of the surges, Magneto used magnetic repulsion to propel himself down at death defying speeds. The surges had stopped now. However Magneto knew that Apocalypse was still below him. And apparently engaged in battle. Fear for Rogue, and the rest of his family made him push himself harder, and he tore through the floors of each level as fast as he could, pushing aside the resistant material with all his strength. Suddenly a horrifically large surge came from below, and then as quickly as it had come, it multiplied in intensity. And it was directly below him. The floor below him suddenly burst open. Magneto stopped his rush, flinging his hands up instinctively as the very walls around him rang like a gong. The magnetic field around him twisted and warped, and for a second Magneto lost his grip on his powers. He fell through the hole into a maelstrom of power.

The floor of the room he had fallen into was almost completely gone, the only clues to there having been a floor separating two leviathan rooms being the cracked and jagged protrusions surrounding the massive hole that had replaced the floor. The floor of the room below was gone as well apparently, having fallen into the floor below… or perhaps two floors below. Where walls had once stood was destruction and chaos. The walls of the newly created battlefield sizzled and sparked with energy, remnants of whatever explosion had taken place. Some parts of the wall were on fire, and wind rushed around, swirling dust around the room. Magneto could make out small figures on the debris and rubble strewn ground far below him. Iceman, Emma Frost and the mangled and very certainly dead body of Bishop. So his plan had failed. Irrelevant he supposed. They had managed to do enough damage to Apocalypse's forces to set him back far enough in whatever plans he had. Enough for many to live. And he would personally ensure the Tower fell today. Closer to the centre of the room though, were those who commanded greater attention from him. His daughter's body was on the floor, unconscious or… he didn't want to think about it. Apocalypse and Holocaust stood flanking the body, and in Apocalypse's right hand was the body of Nate Grey. A battle indeed.

"Apocalypse!" He barely registered his cry of anger. All he knew was that in mere moments he had covered half the distance between him and Apocalypse and he was getting faster. Apocalypse flung Nate to the side and looked up at him, his monstrous face looking up at him with a semblance of… expectation? Whatever.

Magneto slammed into Apocalypse, sending both crashing into the ground. Magneto grabbed for Apocalypse's throat, wanting to choke the life out of this inhuman bastard who had caused the world, and _him _so much grief and anger. He smashed Apocalypse's head into the ground twice before Apocalypse could regain his bearings. His massive hands grabbed Magneto's wrists and slowly pushed Magneto's hands away from his neck.

"Invigorating Magneto. It was refreshing to see you use such… violence and unrestraint. I applaud you." His lips curled into a slight smile, and then he simply stood up, with Magneto's wrists still in his hands.

"Your power prevents me from crushing your wrists right now Magneto. However it is more satisfying to have a prolonged fight… and ours has been more prolonged than most." He let go of Magneto's wrists suddenly and then struck at him, fast as a viper. Magneto barely managed to block the attack, and deflect the next. The third however caught him on the side and he stumbled to the right. As Apocalypse kneed him in the stomach, Magneto realized that engaging Apocalypse in a hand to hand fight was not one of his smarter moves. He backpedaled as soon as he could, trying to create some distance between himself and Apocalypse. He pushed his hands together and let loose an EMP. It struck Apocalypse square in the chest, making him stagger slightly. Once again, in retaliation Apocalypse slammed his hands together; creating a ripple effect of such magnitude that Magneto was flung back by its effects. Magneto fell to the ground. Suddenly Apocalypse was kneeling next to him, and lifting him into the air. Apocalypse began slamming Magneto into the ground, harder and faster with each slam. Magneto struggled to keep his shields up, but he was getting dizzy, and his control nearly slipped a few times. Magneto finally stopped struggling, and began focusing his energies. Charles my old friend… Rogue… give me strength my fellow warriors, my X-men… With a great exclamation Magneto forced the molecules around him to push outwards, with enough force to crush a mountain. Apocalypse was flung aside, and Magneto fell to the ground.

Magneto slowly stood and saw with some relief that Apocalypse was also slowly rising to his feet a few meters away.

"You bastard… for everyone that has died… but most of all for killing my daughter, I will destroy you." Magneto laced every word with as much venom as he could. Even an extra ordinary person would have been chilled by his words.

"Killed? You believe your daughter to be dead? You presume so much Magneto. Your daughter is very much alive. After all, I have reasons for kidnapping her. It was not to lure you into an engagement. In fact you have nothing to do with my reason for kidnapping her. A foolish reason to lose your head Magneto. You disappoint me."

Apocalypse began walking towards Magneto, the ground rumbling menacingly below him. The field had been changed again by their fight, Magneto saw. Holocaust stood to the side, and Emma Frost, Iceman and Scarlet Witch were on the other side, Iceman holding both woman close. He gave Magneto a thumb up as he noticed Magneto looking. Nate Grey and Bishops body were nowhere to be seen.

Magneto began gathering in his power. Apocalypse had just given him another reason to finish this fight quickly. Magneto knew from experience that he would tire long before Apocalypse would, so a protracted fight was not in his best interests. Gathering all his power to himself, Magneto leapt at Apocalypse again. This time however he summoned all the metal in the room to his side, flinging debris at Apocalypse, before coating his body in a suit of armor molded from the debris in the room. With another cry of rage, Magneto struck at Apocalypse, augmenting his punch. He struck Apocalypse hard enough to make the walls shake. Apocalypse went down on one knee, and Magneto doubled his fists together, ready to smash Apocalypse into the ground like an insect.

Suddenly Apocalypse looked up, and his right fist shot upwards into Magneto's solar plexus. Magneto sailed through the air and fell to the ground a hundred meters away. His makeshift armor fell off him, and he lay on the ground wheezing. He struggled onto one elbow. His chest heaved below his Kevlar and armor chest plate. He couldn't fail… He had to win!

Suddenly he became aware of two other forms descending from above. Exodus and War landed next to Apocalypse. Apocalypse looked at Magneto from across the room. Magneto's heart sunk in his chest. Even if he through some miracle managed to defeat Apocalypse, War and Exodus would easily destroy him after it. And if not them, then Holocaust would.

They were screwed.

x-----------------------x

Nate hurt all over. He slowly opened his eyes. He was in an unfamiliar room. What had Apocalypse done? And how could he hope to match his power? He done his best, but even then Apocalypse had managed to defeat him. With comparative ease. But why had he not killed Nate? Nate wasn't exactly displeased about it… but it didn't seem right to tell him that he would die, and then not kill him. The room he was in was fairly generic. Then again, it was so shadowed it could have a whole circus hidden somewhere.

_You really are a foolish boy…_ The voice appeared out of nowhere, ringing in his head. Nate sprung to his feet; or rather tried to, but his body hadn't become as alert as his mind just yet, and Nate's hands flopped about a little. Nate glared at them, but nothing else really happened. He realized his body was numb. For a second fear of paralysis shook him, but then he realized that feeling was returning to his limbs, albeit slowly.

_Come on boy… I expected more from you…_ The voice rang in his head again, except this time Nate was almost sure he could also hear a sibilant sort of whisper, emanating form one of the shadowy corners… even all the shadowy corners. Was he trapped in here with some telepathic snakes who liked to hide in shadows?

A_ pity Sinister did not teach you more… A pity you tried to kill him. He could have taught you much. He was not as skilled as I, but he knew a lot. Enough to survive a purely telepathic encounter with Xavier. Not many can claim such a feat. Know me Nathaniel Grey. I am The Shadow King_. The voice reverberated like thunder at the end, the title the Shadow King gave to itself sounding like an explosion inside his head… Nate winced and then lashed out with his powers. Psychic shocks slammed into every part of the room, and in the deep recesses of his mind Nate could _feel _the Shadow King's pain. Small pain, but pain nonetheless.

_Enough_ _playing boy. Your mind is open to me. I will take you now_!

Suddenly Nate felt an inward clenching and then he felt himself soar out of his body, and all of a sudden he could see the room in a different light. The very walls of the room were covered by a grinning demonic head with shining red eyes, and a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. He could see his body blurring away below him, and then suddenly he was in a limitless space, extending all around him, and he floated on nothingness. Brilliant flashes of light spiraled around him. He heard a rushing sound, and then a great darkness loomed before him, coalescing into a gigantic armored humanoid. It wore pitch black armor that seemed to suck in the nothingness into it like a black hole. It had a massive visor and helmet beneath which blazing red eyes stared out at Nate. The being held a sword that seemed to be made of blackest fire in its hands, and a shield made of the same substance as his armor, sucking away the light.

"Welcome Nate Grey, to the astral plane! This is my domain, and it is here that I shall take over you, bending you completely and irrevocably to my will." The Shadow King chuckled, his voice magnified to suit his size.

Before Nate could retort the Shadow King struck, his sword swiping at Nate. Nate backpedaled, and the sword cleaved through the air in front of him.

"Bend me to your will?" In a flash Nate's confusion as gone. It was as if in stating his intentions, the Shadow King had rid Nate of any doubts or panic and disorientation. Within seconds Nate began to feel the astral plane through every one of his psychic senses. He was not just in the plane, he was one with the plane. And in identifying what he wanted the Shadow King had lent Nate focus. The Shadow King was an enemy, just like others. And Nate knew that telepathy was a psychic power, and Nate had never met anyone even close to being his equal in terms of psychic power. As always, Nate let himself go, drowning in his instincts. It was what had always worked for him before. Except against Apocalypse. But this creature was surely subservient to Apocalypse.

He needed protection.

As he thought, he was suddenly encased in fiery armor, and a shield was buckled to his left arm. He immediately thought of a weapon, and a shiny sword that seemed to be composed of the same blue his body was appeared in his right hand.

"So… the boy knows some tricks… do you truly believe you have enough power to take me down? I have more skill than you can imagine! Do you believe your power will save you form me? Raw power can never match sheer skill. And you are not even the most powerful, are you Nathaniel Grey?" The Shadow King's voice was gleefully confident.

Nate began to doubt himself. As he did the Shadow King swelled in size and struck again. Nate caught the blow on his shield, but he was forced back by the strength of the Shadow King. Nate tried to attack with a psychic blast, but he couldn't. Shocked Nate realized that the attacks he depended upon were useless. He hurriedly blocked another slash, but the Shadow King had seemingly doubled in size again, and his sword clove through Nate's shield, flinging Nate back, sending him rolling through the nothingness of the astral plane.

The Shadow Kings struck again, too fast for Nate to parry with his sword, and Nate felt the burning edge of the Shadow Kings blade slice through his left hand cleanly. The pain was intense, and Nate fell, onto some sort of meteor. He clutched his stub of an arm, a glowing blue stub.

Despair overcame him as he realized he could not defeat the Shadow King. Not here… The Shadow King loomed large over him, ten times his size. Looking at his sword, Nate realized it would be of less use than a toothpick. IN desperation he reached out to the only person he could.

He visualized Phoenix, Jean Grey's face in his mind, his mother, and he called to her desperately.

Her face appeared between him and the Shadow King looking at him in worry.

"What is it Nate?" her voice was laced with worry and fear.

"Help me Je… Phoenix! The Shadow King has me in something called the astral plane. I have to get out of here! Help me!" The Shadow King had not moved and was staring down at Jean's head in puzzlement.

"Astral plane? Shadow king!? I know the astral plane but I cannot help you now Nate! We're under attack ourselves! I can help you in one way though! The astral plane is simply an extension of your very psyche, and your psyche is controlled by what you believe! I don't know about the Shadow Kings power Nate, but he is probably a trained and dangerous opponent if Apocalypse has managed to hide him from us! Take care Nate, I'll try to help as soon as I can, but even maintaining a link as weak as this is…" Jean's face vanished mid sentence. Nate looked up at the massive Shadow King looking down at him with an evil grin.

"So… a mothers' bond. The only way anyone could have contacted you when brought here by me is through an unforeseen bond. It only served to prolong your death boy. I shall feed on you and your power for eternity! And perhaps then I can take your mother. Xavier's finest pupil. It will be a taste to remember." The foul beasts tongue snaked out and tasted the air as though relishing a meal.

Nate felt white hot rage flare through him. He had lost Forge to Sinister. Apocalypse had defeated him. But he would make this animal beg for mercy before he was done. And thanks to Phoenix he knew what to do. Willing his arm back, Nate watched in satisfaction as his arm grew back.

"I know what you are, Shadow 'King'. You're nothing but an insect, feeding on your human prey. You live in darkness, hidden in the shadows like a coward. You draw strength from us don't you? I don't know how you get your power, or how you use it, or whatever! But whatever you do, I can do better!" Nate suddenly increased his size to match the Shadow King.

"I see you have finally learned to use the plane… Foolish boy, I am still more experienced than you, and I know the pitfalls of the Plane!" Nate smiled grimly. He didn't know if this would work but…

"Then let's fight outside the plane!" Nate leapt at the Shadow King and wrenched backwards, simply wanting out. Suddenly he heard a great keening, and then he suddenly felt as though someone had plunged him into freezing water.

"NO! This is impossible! You cannot tear your astral spirit through to the corporeal world! This is impossible!" The Shadow King shrunk in Nate's hands, resisting being pulled into the real plane. But Nate had a death grip, and he instinctively knew what to do. Nate pulled again.

"Please… spare me, oh great and mighty one. I will serve you I will… I…" The Shadow Kings voice degenerated to a squeak, and then a wail as they both suddenly got torn out of the astral plane. Nate could see his body still on the floor. But the Shadow King… He was spasming in his hands. All of a sudden the Shadow King screamed, and then his astral spirit seemed to implode, and it was as if the soul was sucked away into nothingness. Nate fell back, and into his own body, somehow instinctively knowing how to return.

He opened his eyes and looked around the room. The Shadow King was dead. He _knew _it. Somehow he had known how to kill the demonic entity.

Feeling tired beyond all measure, Nate fell back on the floor and rested.

x-------------------------x

Cecilia had found Nightcrawler and Shadowcat heading up from the containment cells, with a mass of mutants in tow, including Mystique, Black John Cassidy and the Juggernaut. Cassidy tended to limp and that drew Cecilia to fret over him immediately. Cecilia was a natural healer, and she hated it when anyone was hurt. Especially when she knew there was nothing she could do about it.

Only moments later an explosion somewhere had shaken the Tower, and the ceiling had started to collapse. Since then she had been leading them from place to place, attempting to find shelter or escape. Shadowcat and Nightcrawler's orders had been simple. They were to free as many prisoners as possible, and generally cause havoc and chaos. Now they had to actually free the prisoners.

Cecilia had known what to do and had immediately sent out a mental cry for help. Phoenix had taught her the trick, of how to contact a telepath if you weren't a telepath yourself. Phoenix had quickly taken stock of the situation and had relayed to Cecilia an update of what had happened as well as on what to do. Now Cecilia led them to the hangar bay, where Cecilia would flee with the freed prisoners, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler would then rendezvous to where the other X-men were, along with Mystique.

Cecilia breathed a sigh of relief as she saw the great doors to the hangar up ahead. There were no guards. All the guard had been summoned by Apocalypse to fight off the X-men, and many had been wiped out by the fights that had taken place outside the Tower.

Cecilia quickly opened the doors and they entered. A vast array of ships awaited their eyes. Cecilia immediately dismissed the smaller ships and focused on the larger ones, the transport cruisers. Though the ones stored in the hangar were not quite as large as the impossibly large Infinite transports, some would easily store all of the freed prisoners. She turned to face the people with her.

"All right. All the ships should have enough supplies and fuel to let us go almost anywhere in the world. There should be some medical equipment as well. Once we escape I can tend to any wounds or illnesses." She sounded businesslike, she knew, but when it came to being a doctor and saving lives… it was her business.

Shadowcat and Nightcrawler nodded to her.

"Danke, gud doctor. We appreciate all zee help you have given us." Nightcrawler offered her a small bow.

"Yeah, thanks a lot. Now we have to leave you. Let me contact Jean and find out where to go." Shadowcat began frowning, as though deep in thought.

Cecilia turned away form them and began organizing the freed prisoners into some order to enter the transport cruiser. Nearby Juggernaut and Black Tom seemed to be discussing something. Finally Black Tom shrugged, and they turned and walked towards her.

"Listen doc… I know we said we'd get outta here with ya… but well, we changed our minds. We wanna take out the big man with the X-men. So… well you're on your own, can ya handle it?" Juggernaut seemed much like a man who had recently been reformed into being polite.

Cecilia wasn't quite certain that she could handle all the people, but she knew that taking down Apocalypse was more important.

"I can deal with it. Defeating Apocalypse is more important. Do what you must."

Juggernaut grinned at her from beneath his helmet and then he and Black Tom turned and walked away, towards Mystique, Nightcrawler and Shadowcat.

Cecilia shrugged and resumed counting the freed prisoners entering the ship.

Before long Shadowcat had walked up to her.

"All right doctor Reyes. We know where to find Jean and the other X-men. They're all heading for what Cyclops calls the War Room. Jean and Betsy have pinpointed that as being the source of all the explosions. Apparently they were part psychic. Will you be all right?" The young mutants concern touched Cecilia.

"I'll be fine." In her heart however Cecilia worried about her 'children'. Already she had lost so many of them. And she knew that one way or another she would lose more. She knew that Polaris and Havok were twisted by the world around them, a world Cyclops had narrowly escaped. But in her heart they were still the children that she had comforted when young, the children that had dubbed her Cece, when even she had been barely out of her teens. The children were merely a decade or so younger than her, but they were each of them children to her. She sighed. Shadowcat, Nightcrawler, Juggernaut, Black Tom and Mystique were already leaving. She wished she'd had a chance for a proper goodbye with all the kids.

She turned away, shaking her head to rid herself of gloom. She had a job to do right now. She could focus on any grief later.

x---------x

Three floors below the War Room Cyclops stopped.

"What the hell?" The entire floor was half covered with rubble, and much of the walls had been knocked down. It was not exactly rubble though. Pieces of the substance that the Tower was made of covered the floor. They had gotten together again, all of them, except for those who had followed Magneto. Phoenix was still worried about Nate, but she knew she could do nothing for him right now. She had tried to reach him again as soon as she had dealt with the enemies around her, but she could not find his mind. This either meant he was unconscious or… Phoenix did not want to even think of the second option. Although she did not know the boy, although she had never seen him grow, had never given birth to him, she had loved her son from the moment she found out what he was, a love that was purely primal, a bond between mother and son, a bond heightened by their similar powers. She knew that she would know when and if he died.

She turned to Cyclops as he stopped. Once they had all met up on the way to the War Room, they had formulated plans and discarded them. Finally they had agreed with Weapon X. They would play it by ear. Somehow unanimously Cyclops had become their guide, if not leader. He was the one who knew the Tower best, and therefore he was best suited to lead them.

"The War Rooms two floors up… But from this I think it's safe to say that the floors above are completely collapsed." He paused thinking for a second. Then he turned to Blink.

"You! Blink. You can teleport us if I tell you where to go right?" Blink shrank back a little at Cyclops's abrupt question, but then regained her composure and nodded.

"Good. Jean?" Phoenix knew instantly what he wanted, his thoughts conveyed through their bond. She quickly linked Blink's mind to Cyclops's. In a few seconds Blink nodded again. She quickly pulled out a dagger and flung it into the air. A small black disc appeared, seemingly revolving. It was impossible to tell since the discs were pitch black. It grew larger in moments, until it was large enough for most of them to jump through. They went through, Rogue and Quicksilver taking the lead. Phoenix knew how they felt. Her son was also somewhere out there, beyond the blackness of the portal disc of Blink's.

Before she could step through however, she felt a familiar presence nearby. She spun around quickly, but she was not fast enough.

Polaris suddenly appeared, and her outstretched hand curled into a fist and pulled back. As though a fist had caught him Cyclops was pulled back and into the air. He yelled in surprise and pain as Polaris smashed him through a wall. The two of them disappeared from her view in seconds.

Weapon X and the others had noticed, but Phoenix turned to them.

"Go! Stop Apocalypse. I'll handle Polaris." She was about to turn back, but then stopped and turned back, to glare at Weapon X who was following her.

"You too Logan! Go, I can do this." Weapon X growled but turned as asked.

Phoenix took to the air and darted after Cyclops.

Weapon X didn't like it that Phoenix was going off alone, but he knew that Phoenix could probably handle Polaris. With Cyclops's help it was almost a given. He was about to leap through the portal when suddenly a scent hit his nostrils. A scent he knew well. A scent that curdled his stomach.

"Creed. You and Blink go," he told Sabretooth and Blink, the only two remaining X-men bluntly.

"But…" Sabretooth protested slightly, but then he caught the scent too. "Right. Put that one down runt."

Weapon X smiled at him.

"The same way I always put you down bub, but this time I'll put that bastard down for good."

He stalked off, with Sabretooth's laughter ringing in his ears, even though he and Blink had disappeared through the portal disc. A disc which had disappeared. He knew that Phoenix and Cyclops could face Polaris. But a surprise attack by the Dark Beast as well? That would be stretching the odds. He smiled grimly. The dark Beast was everything he was not. Something that had lost itself to its desires completely.

x----------------x

The sudden entry into chaos unnerved Rogue for a second. It was as if Blink's teleportation disc had attracted the building maelstrom towards them. Winds buffeted the X-men around her. The ones who couldn't fly began to fall, and the ones that could fly were flung about by the winds they tried to gain purchase in the air from. Suddenly Rogue heard a cry of great effort and suddenly the winds weren't tearing at her anymore. Orienting herself she turned to see Storm in a posture of great effort, pulling all the winds to her.

"Get down all of you; I cannot contain this much longer! It is more primal than anything else I have ever encountered! I must release it!" Storm's voice was cracked with pain. Rogue immediately shouted an order for the X-men to get to the ground. Most had already begun complying with Storm's order.

Rogue had barely touched down onto the floor when Storm let loose her grip on the maelstrom inside and immediately flew downwards. The winds took almost physical form, and Rogue knew that it was no ordinary maelstrom up there. She shuddered remembering the maelstrom that had been created in Wundagore. If that was taking place here… that meant Magneto was nearby! The thought suddenly hit her and she turned about. A few meters away from them, watching them calmly were Apocalypse, Exodus, Holocaust and War. Magneto lay on the ground between the X-men and Apocalypse and his lieutenants. Behind Apocalypse Rogue could see the forms of Iceman, Emma Frost and Scarlet Witch. Before Rogue could say or do anything, Quicksilver darted past her. In a flash he had reached Magneto and was already dragging him away from Apocalypse and his lieutenants.

"Ah, the rest of the X-men. Your leader has already fallen before our might, and two of your strongest allies have been destroyed as well. Do you believe you can stand against my power?" Apocalypse's tone was almost mocking.

Rogue felt her temper flare, and she felt coldness spread through her body. Not the cool of fear, but rather one born of pure fury. Her voice came out emotionless.

"You've tried all that ya could to take down the X-men, ugly. But yoah time is ovah. We X-men knew the risks we ran comin here. And we're all willing tah take whatevah risk is necessary to finish you for good. Even if it means our deaths." Rogue could almost feel the approval and resolve of the X-men around her.

Apocalypse smiled.

"Excellent. The greater the resolve in you all, the greater the flare of passion, the greater will be the strength you employ. I have brought you all to the breaking point. You will fight with all you have, I can already feel your power flare to its potential! This fight will be etched in time as assuredly as the running of time itself. A challenge worthy of being taken up." Apocalypse's smile widened and then he stepped back.

Holocaust began to walk towards them, moving fast with each step until he was running towards them. Exodus and War took to the skies, War unsheathing her sword and beginning a complicated step in midair. Beyond Apocalypse Iceman took to his feet, helping up Emma Frost and Scarlet Witch. Scarlet Witch was in worse condition than the other two, apparently, since she had to be help up by Iceman, while Emma Frost managed to stand on her own. She grabbed Iceman's free arm and Iceman began sledding over to the other X-men using an ice slide, skirting Apocalypse, Holocaust, Exodus and War.

Making sure Magneto and Scarlet Witch were behind them, the X-men got ready for the onslaught.

Holocaust struck first, his micro nuclear blast swathing across the X-men. They just barely managed to avoid it, and Rogue realized they had to take them on immediately.

The ground forces; Juggernaut, Sabretooth, Iceman and Colossus charged forward, Juggernaut leading the charge. Angel, with his leg in splints stayed in the air, behind everyone, aiding the others by watching out for any hidden attacks. The winds were not as dangerous closer to the ground, and Angel managed to stay airborne easily. Rogue, a recovering Storm and Mystique took to the air, Mystique as a pterodactyl, one of the dinosaurs she had seen in the savage land. Psylocke and Emma Frost linked everyone's mind's while buffering them against Exodus's telepathic assaults. Blinks and Nightcrawler teleported in a zigzag fashion, using their powers to get closer to their enemies. Quicksilver and Shadowcat followed behind Juggernaut, Colossus, Iceman and Sabretooth. Black Tom Cassidy stood guard over Magneto and Scarlet Witch, staff in hand.

Holocaust and Juggernaut crashed together, and Juggernaut proved the stronger. Holocaust fell backwards, with Juggernaut on top hand raised to crush Holocausts armor.

Juggernaut managed to hit Holocaust twice before Holocaust managed to get his cannon hand between the two of them and fired upwards, sending Juggernaut flying off him. Holocaust jumped to his feet, but Colossus and Sabretooth were there, punching at him. He barely managed to fend off the attacks when Iceman and Quicksilver attacked, Iceman raining shards of razor sharp ice at him and Quicksilver punching him faster than he could block. Slowly Holocaust was driven back by the assault.

Rogue met Exodus in the air. The two hurled themselves at each other, each trying to knock the other back, but in terms of strength they were evenly matched. Exodus focused his telepathic attacks on Rogue, but Emma and Psylocke managed to block that line of attack easily, knowing his telepathic touch very well by now. Finally Exodus managed to grab Rogue and strike her twice across the face before she knew what was happening. Dazed Rogue slumped a little in Exodus's arms. Exodus smiled evilly, then suddenly his eyes widened in surprise. He twisted aside, but not fast enough as Nightcrawler suddenly appeared behind him and thrust his sword forward. Exodus screamed in pain as Nightcrawler's sword plunged through his right shoulder. Exodus flew backwards, the sword being wrenched out of him as he moved away from Nightcrawler. However before Nightcrawler could teleport and attack again, Exodus let loose with a powerful psychic blast. The shockwave hit everything around him, sending Rogue and Nightcrawler to the ground.

Storm and Mystique flew around War, circling her. War appeared completely at ease though, her sword almost lazily tracing an intricate pattern through the air. Storm watched the pattern warily, knowing that at any moment War could attack with a spell. Suddenly the sword became faster and a glowing rune appeared in front of War. Storm braced herself for an attack, but it never came. Suddenly a glowing pink dagger hurtled into the rune itself. War flew backward hastily as the rune before her suddenly became disrupted. The spell rebounded on her, and War fell to the ground clutching her head. The rune shimmered and then exploded into pure arcane energy. Storm and Mystique were hurled backwards, Mystique resuming her normal form as she fell.

As they all fell, across the room Scarlet Witch suddenly opened her eyes and sat up, as arcane energy washed over her. Black Tom Cassidy watched a little nervously as she stood, took in the melee around her and then made a decision. Scarlet Witch began to float in midair, her eyes flashing with power. Black Tom Cautiously took a step backwards and to the side.

Apocalypse noticed Scarlet Witch get up and he smiled, beginning to watch with a little more interest. Already events proceeded as he thought they might.

Holocaust managed to finally take down Quicksilver, landing a solid punch to the head of Quicksilver, knocking the mutant down flat. He then turned his attention to Colossus. Meeting him punch for punch, and ignoring the attacks of Iceman and Sabretooth as best he could, Holocaust finally stunned Colossus with a massive blow from his cannon hand. However taking him down had cost Holocaust, and his cannon hand had been slightly cracked. Holocaust grabbed Sabretooth and flung him away and met another attack by Juggernaut. Holocaust knew immediately that Juggernaut was far stronger than him, and he quickly backpedaled, knowing that he could not face him in a hand to hand battle. Juggernaut charged after Holocaust who quickly swung his cannon hand around and let loose with all he had. The powerful blast hit Juggernaut point blank. Juggernaut flew backwards and smashed into the wall, close to losing consciousness. Holocaust's cannon was beginning to crack further, the energy inside threatening to seep out. Sabretooth and iceman noticed and immediately took advantage, focusing their attacks on Holocaust's cannon. Holocaust desperately staved off their attacks, realizing that he could not use his powers to help him, not until they cooled down a little.

As they fought, Rogue and Exodus suddenly crashed to the ground, grappling for advantage right between Holocaust and Sabretooth and Iceman. They stood stunned for a second, and then Sabretooth grabbed Exodus and pulled him off Rogue. Exodus immediately turned and struck Sabretooth with a powerful blow, fully augmented by his psychic strength. Sabretooth was hurled backwards. Rogue immediately turned her attention to Holocaust. Before Holocaust could do anything, Rogue had grabbed his cannon hand and began punching his face plate. Holocaust was struck three times before he managed to adjust to the sudden attack. He pulled Rogue off with his other hand. And struck her twice with his cannon hand. He flung Rogue to the ground where she lay dazed. Holocaust pointed his cannon at her, unsure whether he should fire or not. If he fired and his cannon hand was torn apart, his life energy could be destroyed by the explosion of nuclear energy. However he could kill Rogue right now with a single blast.

His indecision cost him anyway. Iceman swung him around suddenly. Iceman had gathered all the moisture around to him, forming a massively strong shield of pure ice around him, hardened to near diamond levels. His whole body was spiky, with razor sharp protuberances, and he had extended his fingers into a scythe like form. He had also created a lance like weapon of ice and he plunged it into Holocaust's cannon hand. Holocaust stumbled backwards, fearing that he would be blown apart any minute. However the ice worked against Iceman, cooling down the flux of energies in Holocaust's cannon. Holocaust smiled as he realized Iceman had solved his dilemma. Iceman, realizing his gambit had failed, clawed at Holocaust, driving the son of Apocalypse backwards. Holocaust however was strong enough to withstand the attack, and he struck back, ignoring the blows Iceman hit. Iceman's armor shattered before Holocaust's superior strength. Finally Holocaust knocked Iceman to the ground. His ethereal death's head grinning evilly, Holocaust aimed his cannon at Iceman. Iceman was too stunned to move and Holocaust's cannon began to glow as he gathered the flux of energies together to create a micro nuclear blast that would eradicate Iceman.

Suddenly a massive hand clamped down on the cannon. Juggernaut had arrived and he swung his other fist at Holocaust. The punch struck Holocaust's already weakened face plate and it began to crack. Holocaust lurched backwards, but Juggernaut had his cannon in a death grip and he continued to punch at Holocaust with his free hand. Desperately Holocaust tried to free his cannon, but Juggernaut would not let go. Finally Holocaust grabbed at Juggernauts hand on his cannon and flung himself backwards, igniting his cannon at the same time. The blast flung them both backwards. Juggernaut landed next to Rogue, unconscious, and Holocaust fell to the ground a few feet from Iceman. Holocausts cannon was almost completely destroyed, and energies began to ignite in his cannon, sending out short powerful blasts. With a supreme act of will Holocaust managed to control the energies. He pointed the cannon at Juggernaut and Rogue, knowing that he could easily kill them. Once he killed them the energy overload would be over, and although his cannon would be useless, he would have eliminated the only physically stronger opponent of his, as well as destroying Rogue.

Iceman realized that even though Colossus was charging Holocaust he would be too late, and Quicksilver was too groggy from the punch to the head to get to Holocaust in time. Iceman knew that jumping in front of the blast would only destroy him and not quite stop Holocaust. Using his powers as never before Iceman froze the entire ground around him for a few meters, including that below Holocaust. Iceman created himself into pure ice and willed himself next to Holocaust, recreating himself right next to Holocaust, traveling through the ice at the speed of sound.

Holocaust was surprised for an instant, and Iceman used that time to grab Holocaust's cannon and face plate. Before Holocaust could fire, Iceman made the temperature around them drop to absolute zero. Nothing could survive in that temperature and Holocausts energy dissipated into nothingness. Holocaust managed to turn his hand towards Apocalypse imploringly before he felt his own life energy begin to freeze at absolute zero temperature. Iceman smiled as he realized he had defeated Holocaust and survived. He felt Holocaust disappear into nothingness, and began pulling himself back.

He suddenly felt intense heat and his eyes widened in surprise. Then he and Holocausts body were shattered by a blast of nuclear energy from Apocalypse.

Apocalypse turned away from the melted rubble that marked the spot where Iceman and Holocaust had been destroyed. One down, and as he had expected the first of his own to fall had been Holocaust. However he had expected Holocaust to take down at least one or two more X-men with him. A disappointment in the end.

Angel screamed in anguish and flew down towards Apocalypse, his grief at the loss of his best friend sending him into near madness. As he flew towards Apocalypse, he felt arms suddenly grab him. He tried to pull away but the grip was too strong.

"Hold yer horses laddie. There's no way ye can take on that _cairne_."

Angel turned in shock to confirm what his ears were telling him. Banshee looked seriously at him.

"Ach boyo, ye thought me dead? It takes a wee bit more than a slap and a throw to take out ol' Sean Cassidy." Banshee looked down at the battle raging.

"Now stay back here, boyo. Grieve later, fer now jus' handle what ye always do. Meself… I'm gonna kick some arse." So saying Banshee flew down towards Exodus, his mouth open in a scream.

Exodus had grabbed Nightcrawler and was slowly drawing the psychic energy out of him, healing himself in the process. He was not prepared for Banshee rushing him. The sonic scream hit his ears hard and Exodus dropped Nightcrawler, who fell limply to the floor. Exodus had managed to block all of Emma Frost's and Psylocke's attacks, but he was not prepared for Banshee, whom he had presumed dead. The external grabbed his ears, trying to block out the crippling sound.

Banshee stopped to take a breath.

"Ye liked that, didn't ya, ye big leech?" He blew out again and Exodus was knocked backwards, reeling before the onslaught. Banshee grew more and more optimistic, putting more effort into his scream. Exodus was falling back!

Suddenly Exodus fell backwards, deliberately, rolling with the impact and letting his momentum launch him up and backwards into the air. Before Banshee could adjust his scream, Exodus flew at him. Banshee's scream hit Exodus again, but Exodus was moving to fast and he slammed into Banshee, knocking both mutants to the ground.

"Pitiful worm!" Exodus sat astride Banshee and began punching him, not giving him a chance to scream. Banshee felt the dark grip of unconsciousness falling over him. He tried to fight it, but the pain was too strong. As he fell under, he felt Exodus's hands grasp his throat and begin to apply dreadful pressure. Banshee's last thought before he blacked out was that Exodus must be taking his time.

Rat bastard… He did'nae have to take so bloody long…

Black Tom had steadily stepped backwards until he was, so he presumed, a safe distance form Scarlet Witch. Magneto's daughter had begun muttering something in a guttural language, invoking incantations.

Blasted Witch! Black Tom had gotten used to seeing a lot of things in his lifetime, but he had an intrinsic fear of witches, a fear handed down over the centuries in his family. He was wondering whether or not it would be prudent to get the hell out of here when he heard a very distinctive sound. He turned towards his cousin, Sean Cassidy, Banshee. They had never gotten along, Banshee and he; an enmity developed when young had only grown over the years. But in this fight, he and Banshee were allies. Besides, if anyone should ever kill his cousin, it should be Black Tom. Not one of Apocalypse's lackeys. Black Tom carefully skirted Scarlet Witch, heading towards his cousin, who was surprisingly keeping Exodus on his toes.

"Damn, he's better'nae expected. He's even keepin' the bugger down. Och, maybe he don't need me help… ah that's it, he's dead." Black Tom swung out his staff, using it to propel himself faster, swinging on it like he used to in his younger days as a thief.

Exodus was just about to finally snap Banshee's neck, when a staff charged with all of Black Tom's power struck him squarely in the face. Exodus was flung off Banshee. However he landed on his feet and glared at Black Tom who was already checking on his cousin.

"You Cassidy's are beginning to vex me greatly." Suddenly Exodus disappeared in a flash of light. The next moment Black Tom was flung forwards as Exodus reappeared behind him and kicked him in the small of his back. Black Tom fell on his face, clutching his back, which had nearly broken before the impact. Exodus grabbed Banshee and walked towards Black Tom.

"You both managed to catch me off guard. That will not happen again."

He smashed Banshee's body down onto Black Tom's. Before he could do anything else, Psylocke smashed into his back with a flying kick. Exodus stumbled forward, and spun around quickly. Psylocke again kicked him, this time a sweeping kick at his shins, which knocked him down on his behind.

"Enough of this shit Exodus. Us girls, we're going to finish you off now."

Exodus looked up and saw that Emma Frost, Psylocke, Shadowcat and Blink stood arrayed against him. Before he could do anything further, Emma and Psylocke unleashed telepathic attacks on his mind. As he countered those, Blink hurled a dagger at him, while Shadowcat phased into the rubble below him. Exodus was hard pressed. Shadowcat could theoretically kill him, by phasing through his normally near invulnerable form and tearing out his heart; unless he stopped her telepathically. But with his telepathy concentrated on keeping Emma and Psylocke at bay, he was in danger. And Blink's dagger posed the same problem as Shadowcat and Nightcrawler. All three could bypass his defenses.

With the knowledge that he could die goading him, Exodus took to the air, Blink's dagger just missing him. He reasoned that Shadowcat could not reach him now. He furiously hurled back Emma and Psylocke's attacks, but the two worked in tandem, not letting him hit back. And as long as he could not focus all his concentration on telepathy he was not fast enough to block their attacks and retaliate as well. Still focusing on Emma and Psylocke's attacks, Exodus lunged at Blink, zigzagging to avoid her daggers. As he did, Shadowcat suddenly flew up out of the ground behind him.

Shadowcat had used the earth's rotation to give her a boost and she soared through the air, her calculations perfect. Making herself a little more dense, Shadowcat began floating in mid-air, a little shakily, as she had not done so many times before, but easily. She began moving towards Exodus, who had crashed to the ground where Blink had been previously.

Exodus turned and saw another dagger hurtling at him, as well as Shadowcat floating through the air towards him like a pretty little ghost.

Desperately Exodus reached within himself and began using more and more power. Moving faster than he ever had before he flashed towards the two telepaths opposing him. Emma and Psylocke fell to the ground hard, reeling from Exodus's punches. Shadowcat suddenly found her will being turned on her, and she became material falling to the ground. Blink's dagger exploded in mid air as Exodus grabbed it using psychic energy. Once again he lashed out with his psychic power, knocking Blink backwards unconscious, and blood trickling from her nose as her nerves got fried.

Exodus walked up to Shadowcat and began draining her, feeding on her psychic energy. He had utilized his own life-force in the last attack, and he needed to replenish himself.

Black Tom had watched the girls befuddle Exodus for a while, and had taken the time to get himself together and wake Banshee. Banshee had woken up, groggy, but ready to take on Exodus.

They launched themselves at him, Banshee going high, Black Tom low. Exodus fell forward, dropping Shadowcat. But he was up in a flash again.

Black Tom swung his staff, hitting Exodus with all his power, but Exodus seemed to shrug it off.

Banshee's wails had no effect either. Black Tom realized they really needed to come up with a new strategy. Then Exodus struck. Banshee fell to the ground as a psychic bolt tore through his skull. At the same time Exodus struck Black Tom with a powerful bolt of energy. Black Tom lay stunned as Exodus walked up, death in his eyes. Exodus picked up Black Tom's staff and slammed it down hard. As he died, Black Tom heard Juggernaut yelling in anger.

Banshee saw his cousin get impaled on his own staff, but he could not move. Exodus walked up to him as well. Banshee saw Angel fly down from behind Exodus, and got ready to do something… anything. He tried to stand, and managed to get onto his knees.

Angel was getting closer.

Suddenly Exodus took to the air just as Angel was about to strike. Rushing ahead below Exodus, Angel slammed into Banshee and the two fell on the ground, Angel aggravating his knee. Angel clutched his knee in pain, while Banshee flopped about, trying to rid himself of the numbness that Exodus had caused. Suddenly Exodus was above him, crashing down onto Banshee's neck, crushing the cartilage with his armored boots.

Banshee died with a gurgle.

Exodus smiled and looked down at Angel, writhing below him. Suddenly something smashed into him faster than he could avoid. Exodus fell to the ground and looked up to see Juggernaut running at him. Behind Juggernaut he could see Colossus tending to Shadowcat. There was no one nearby, and so Exodus began to feed on his life energy, needing to take down Juggernaut quickly.

Juggernaut and Exodus met, fist to fist, head to head, punching at each other with all their might. Juggernaut was strong, but Exodus had tapped into his own life-force and his power more than matched Juggernaut's. Exodus matched Juggernaut blow for blow, and then began hitting him harder and harder. Adding his psychic might to his blows. Juggernaut fell back, staggering and then to the ground. Exodus smiled slightly, and then moved forward, ready to begin feeding of Juggernaut, relishing the power that would come to him. Enough to replenish his life-force and add to his power. But Juggernaut did not stay down. He got up again, swinging and swearing for all he was worth. Exodus managed to avoid one, block another and strike back, again sending Juggernaut to his knees. But Juggernaut struck him again. And again. Exodus desperately hit Juggernaut with a double uppercut, launching him back into the air. But Juggernaut got up and launched himself at Exodus again.

Getting alarmed now Exodus began draining more of his life energy, and struck Juggernaut hard enough to finally knock him out.

Exodus desperately reached for Juggernaut needing to replenish himself quickly. Before he could however, his brain alerted him to sudden danger.

Quicksilver began running around him, punching every few random moments, but spinning faster, creating a whirlwind around Exodus. Drawing further on himself Exodus struck psychically, sending Quicksilver reeling away and to the ground. Exodus tried to attack again, to shut down Quicksilver's brain, but Emma and Psylocke were up again and they thwarted him. Then they attacked him, again working step by step, attacking in turns to keep him off balance. But he was stronger now.

Emma's attack was blocked, and then returned tenfold, at the same time as Psylocke's was blocked and returned tenfold. They both fell clutching their heads, and only their own shields preventing Exodus from completely destroying them. However Exodus's powers were waning now. He desperately turned to Juggernaut. Suddenly he sensed another danger, and turned to see Colossus charging him. His brain alerted him to another danger, and Exodus erected a force field quickly.

However Nightcrawler simply teleported through it and teleported his sword into Exodus's heart.

Exodus pulled it out and reeled around, feeling his life force suddenly begin to fade away. He grabbed Nightcrawler, and began trying to drain him, but Colossus grabbed him from behind and flung him away. Exodus stood up again and knew that if he did not begin to drain someone he would die. He saw Psylocke nearby, with Emma a little further. Emma… yes, he would take Emma Frost. He began walking towards her, reaching.

Nightcrawler and Colossus were coming closer, readying their attacks. Exodus was only a few feet away.

He wouldn't make it, he realized.

He turned and glared at the two X-men.

"Damn you to hell, you bastards!" And he struck, utilizing the last of his power to completely destroy them, sizzling energy bolts rushing from his hands and eyes.

As Nightcrawler and Colossus braced themselves, the energy slammed into a shield around them. They looked around in surprise; surprise that they weren't dead.

Exodus fell before them, screaming, jets of energy shooting out of his eyes, mouth, fingertips. Then his chest exploded with energy which spiraled up into the air, disappearing into nothingness.

The shield around Nightcrawler and Colossus faded.

They turned to see Scarlet Witch float above them, her power being just able to hold back Exodus's attack.

Scarlet Witch knew that Nightcrawler and Colossus were surprised, but she could not answer them. She was nearly one with her magic, and she knew that her power now was nearly unbeatable.

She turned and saw War fighting with Storm and Rogue, War's magic defense proving too much for the two X-women. Scarlet Witch knew how to stop War.

x---------------x

Apocalypse smiled as he saw Exodus die. Just as he had foreseen, Exodus had proved himself to be all that Apocalypse had hoped. And Scarlet Witch had finally done as Apocalypse wanted. Now all Apocalypse needed was to test how powerful Scarlet Witch had grown. This was why he had kept War by his side. In order to test Scarlet Witch, to bring about her awakening. Apocalypse's smile widened.

x--------------x

The remaining X-men formed up around War. Sabretooth and Colossus hurled debris and rubble up at War, while Rogue, Storm and Mystique attacked her from the air. However War had pulled up a powerful shield, and was focusing on another spell, judging from the intricate patterns her sword was making in the air.

Nightcrawler was teleporting around War, unable to get inside the arcane shield she had summoned to protect her.

However Scarlet Witch was there now, and was working actively to counter War's spells. Her mind felt free and easy, and she felt one with her magic, as she had never felt before. Ability surged through her, and she began contrasting symbols which she did not know, symbols that came from the magic within her.

Scarlet Witch cast her spell, and immediately a searing red bolt shot from between her fingertips and slammed into War's shield. Immediately the shield dissipated. But War had finished her spell.

Scarlet Witch's eyes widened as she realized the spell War had used. She immediately conjured up a shield around her, but she could not do so for her friends. Like a snake, energy coiled out of War and shot into Mystique. As the X-men watched horrified, more coils of energy streamed out of Mystique, and shot through each of the X-men. As it hit and passed through, each of the X-men dropped to the ground, their bodies churning with pain. Finally Mystique fell to the ground, her corpse blackened.

"I have cleared the battlefield, Witch. It is now between you and me." War slowly removed her spiky helmet, revealing the youthful and beautiful features of Selene, the one time Black Queen of the Club Hellfire, and Sorceress of legend.

Scarlet Witch smiled at her, refusing to be daunted, unable to be daunted. The magic in her filled her with power, and Scarlet Witch was confident.

The two began circling in the air, judging, waiting.

War struck first. Her hand shot forward and she cried out an incantation. Scarlet Witch was just able to duck the fiery bolt that War had thrown. Immediately Scarlet Witch countered with a bolt of energy that would confuse and disorient War. However War was far too strong to be taken down by a hastily conjured spell, and she brushed it aside.

"Enough play." War suddenly shot forward, her sword flashing through the air. Scarlet Witch strafed to the side, the sword just missing her, but cutting through her cape. As War passed a shockwave was created and Scarlet Witch was flung backwards.

Her eyes flashing with anger at being caught so easily by War's attack, Scarlet Witch rose to a level height with War again.

As War rushed her again, Scarlet Witch created her own sword and met War's attacks with parries and blocks. However Scarlet Witch knew only the rudiments of sword fighting, and War was an accomplished swordswoman. Scarlet Witch immediately abandoned that tactic and instead began releasing a string of fireballs from her hands. War fell back before the onslaught attempting to knock the fireballs away with her sword, but there were too many, and she stood too close to Scarlet Witch.

War fell to the ground, trying to heal herself. Scarlet Witch didn't let her by showering her with shards of ice. War had to keep on moving. Finally War reached a distance far enough from Scarlet Witch to counter her fireballs, and she began brushing them aside as she had the previous confusion spell. Then War conjured up a shield.

"It is time to end this, Witch." War's tone was curt and emotionless. She began muttering an incantation.

Scarlet Witch's eyes widened as she realized the spell War was about to cast. Hastily she began conjuring up a spell as powerful, knowing that they could both die, but also sure that if she didn't counter War's spell with another as powerful, she would surely be dead.

The magic told her what to say, the magic in her aided her as never before. Scarlet Witch did not know any spells of the magnitude War was trying, but the magic in her did. It was old magic, and it remembered.

Words flew to her mouth, and her hands began weaving an intricate dance.

The maelstrom created by Nate and Apocalypse suddenly ceased and instead whirls of arcane energy descended around the two sorceresses. The entire room became darker as they continued the spells, and the only light emanated from the two of them.

Apocalypse began walking towards them, knowing that this was the moment he had been waiting for.

War released first, the air around her whirling and collapsing, until it was whining at a near deafening level. Scarlet Witch followed an instant later. A rush of energy swarmed towards both sorceresses, tinged all colors and none. Apocalypse launched himself into the middle of the blast, letting the energy hit him. As he did so, he set off nuclear reactions all around him.

The primal energies met, fused and erupted. Both Scarlet Witch and War were flung backwards. But the energy discharge did not blow up the Tower and the miles around as expected. Instead the energy rushed inwards. Laughing in triumph Apocalypse began to leech the energy out of the air, growing larger and larger.

Finally the energy was all gone. The celestial armor that Apocalypse wore was slightly charred, and its instruments were destroyed, but it had served its purpose. For centuries Apocalypse had used it to drain the energies of others, using the energies to extend his own life. And now he had used it one last time. He absorbed the only source of energy he had been unable to for so long. Arcane energy. And it had been so simple. To set the stage for a battle between two sorcerers, or sorceresses, and wait for the ultimate build of arcane power, and then fuse it with energy he could manipulate. And so allow him to take the arcane energies as well. And learn its mysteries. And learn its power. And add it to his own.

Now all he had to do was to drain more from the last remaining users of the arcane in the world. And perhaps find others who he did not know of.

He felt a stirring to one side and turned, and saw the last of his horsemen, and the last of the Externals, Selene – War emerge from the rubble. He smiled. She had served her purpose well. He began to move purposefully towards her.

x---------------------x

Cyclops felt his armor shudder as he smashed through the walls into another room, pulled by the unbreakable grip of Polaris. Finally he was flung against the wall of a room he didn't recognize at all.

He slid down, only to be caught by Polaris' grip again.

"So, dear leader. Finally, we meet in open air. Your betrayal cost us, Cyclops. If you hadn't turned the odds would have been in our favor the night the X-men returned to attack the Tower. The night I lost my father. In some ways, you're to blame for that. Cece tried to make us forgive you… but Cece always liked you best. She's a traitor like you, in the end." Polaris slowly let him drop to the ground, where Cyclops lay for a second, stunned by Polaris' sudden attack.

"Did you really think I'd let you get away with what you'd done? You and Alex, the both of you? You ruined my life, you Summers brothers, and now I'm going to finish this once and for all." Polaris pointed down the room, and Cyclops saw Havok, nearly stripped of his armor, lying on a table. Havok's eyes were closed and he was breathing slowly.

Cyclops's eyes narrowed.

"What did you do to Alex?" he growled softly.

"Do to him? What he deserved. The fool found me unconscious and brought me to where Cece should have been, but she was gone too, turned traitor, just like you. You betrayed us Scott, and Alex betrayed me. So I took out my anger on Alex. The poor boy thought he could get away with it. Fool. As soon as I was conscious I tore apart his armor, and took him out easily. He never knew what hit him. Now once I'm done killing both of you… slowly… I'll take care of Magneto. As a finale." Polaris threw back her head and began laughing.

Cyclops smiled up at the woman he had once thought of as almost a sister. They had all been twisted, but Polaris was now at the brink of madness, if not over it. He had to move carefully, but if he played his cards right, and she didn't try to kill him right out, he could finish this. IN his weakened state, Polaris could finish him easily.

"So much hate Lorna. I never meant to betray you, you know. It happened that way. Kill me if you want to, but spare Alex." Even though Cyclops knew that it would probably be better if his brother was dead, he couldn't really let him get killed. He had made a promise long ago. But he needed to slowly push Lorna into this…

"Spare him? That's rich Scott. If only the tables were turned on you two. He'd waste no time in trying to kill you. He hates you more than anything else Scotty." Polaris smiled languorously. Cyclops had to talk faster, that smile meant she was ready to act.

"Fine kill us then, but what about your real family Lorna? Wouldn't you like to have a family?" Polaris froze, her hand half raised. She slowly lowered it.

"What do you mean?" Polaris's voice was soft, with an edge. It wouldn't take much to send her over.

"As High Prelate and all but Sinister's adopted son I had access to a lot more information than you. I know who your parents were Lorna. I know who your father _is._" Just enough emphasis…

"Is? You mean he's still alive?" There was enough of a touch of hope in Polaris's voice to make Cyclops feel sick about what he was doing, but it had to be done.

"I thought it would be obvious Lorna. Your mother was a latent mutant from Latveria. She met a mutant who she was so taken with that she slept and conceived a child with him. When she found out that he was a mutant she ran away from him, and reached America, a few weeks shy of when you were born. She raised you as best she could, but she died during the ascension, and you, a mutant whose potential rocked the charts was brought to Apocalypse. He saw the potential you had immediately, and set you up as one of his chief lieutenants' daughter. One who hated another mutant very similar to you. A mutant who hailed from Europe, a mutant who Apocalypse knew could one day be his chief rival for domination. A mutant who later commanded the team of mutant heroes dedicated to Apocalypse's removal."

Cyclops stopped talking and looked at Polaris. Her eyes were wide and her body was trembling. Cyclops wondered what she was going through, and if it would be enough to give him an edge.

"Do you know who named you Lorna? It was all in your mothers diaries, recovered from your house. A mutant she loved had named you, a mutant she referred to as only Erik. A mutant whose description leaves no doubt to his identity." Cyclops trailed off slowly, and watched as Polaris's eyes grew wider, and then her eyes literally sparked power.

Her hand moved as she screamed, "LIAR!" But Cyclops was ready for her, and he leapt to the side as a sheet of magnetic energy furrowed through the spot he had just been standing. As he leapt aside he let loose with an optic blast. It caught Polaris in the side. As his shot hit Polaris however, something else slammed into Polaris, knocking her aside.

Cyclops looked to the side and there stood Phoenix, her eyes burning with anger. Cyclops wasn't sure but he could have sworn that for a second a fiery bird shaped nimbus had surrounded Phoenix.

"That bitch… are you all right?" Phoenix walked over to Cyclops who had gotten up from the floor.

"Yeah…" Cyclops smiled down at her.

Phoenix smiled back and then narrowed her eyes.

"All that you said to her… was it true?" Her voice sounded demanding.

"No. That's ridiculous. The only reason Apocalypse was interested in her was because she was a potentially very powerful mutant. He didn't give a damn about Magneto back then." Cyclops frowned a little, "it could be true though… ah who cares." Cyclops shook his head, and then hugged Phoenix closer.

"We should go back about now shouldn't we? They'll need us." Phoenix whispered into his chest.

Cyclops nodded, and then stopped.

"Wait… Alex…" He was about to turn when a voice interrupted him.

"Yes, Alex. Nice to be remembered brother. I gave you enough time to take out Polaris and spend a little time with your whore. Now it's time for vengeance."

Cyclops turned to see Havok getting off the table, his arms bent at the elbow, and his fists glowing with power.

"It's my time now brother. Thanks to you, that bitch, Lorna won't be in my way any longer." Havok laughed slightly, and then stopped, gazing at Polaris's body almost hungrily for an instant.

"Your time? Screw you asshole." Phoenix focused on Havok, and Cyclops could almost see a shining force wrap around Havok.

"Now, McCoy!" Havok cried out hurriedly.

A gray blur slammed into Phoenix from behind, and the invisible force around Havok went away. Havok dropped gently to the ground and stood straight staring straight at Cyclops.

"Now brother, it is time to end this." Havok smiled and began walking towards Cyclops.

Cyclops raised his hands in a defensive posture.

"There's still time Alex. Forget this business, and come with me, with the X-men. We can defeat Apocalypse. Is death what you want?" Cyclops tried to reason with his brother one last time.

"Death? No brother. I want the power to finish you off once and for all, and the power of immortality. Apocalypse shall grant me what he gave to Sinister and Exodus. Think of it, brother, near unlimited power, for all time. It shall be glorious." Havok smiled, and Cyclops saw the gleam in his eye. Was this what would have become of him, Cyclops wondered. Would he have become as twisted as Polaris and Havok?

"Glory? Nah, that don't suit you kid." Cyclops turned his head slightly in astonishment as Weapon X barreled into the room, leaping over the rubble of the broken wall and leaping straight for Havok. Havok snarled in anger and sidestepped the attack. However Weapon X just kept on moving, and used the table Havok had been lying as a springboard, back flipping onto Havok. Weapon X's adamantium club hand smashed into Havok's back, and Havok cried out in pain.

Angrily he sent energy bursting out from his back, straight onto Weapon X who was flung back by the power.

"You mongrel… I'll make you suffer for that." Havok turned back to Weapon X who had sprawled onto Polaris's body.

"Alex. Enough." Cyclops stood straight, although it hurt his back a little. After being knocked through a few walls, Cyclops supposed it had reason to.

Havok turned back to his brother and stared at Cyclops with a mask of hate imprinted across his face.

"It is time to die, Scott." He walked forward, his fists curling and uncurling.

"No… it's time for you all to die." Suddenly they were all flung to the ground by a magnetic surge. Polaris floated above them, her power nearly visible around her. Nearby the Dark Beast looked up at Polaris with a smirk on his face.

"I'm afraid that sort of thing just doesn't work on me anymore dear." The Dark Beast cackled with glee. He had changed a little. His fur had become spikier, and his hands were more like claws now, with large sharp nails. Half the hair on his face had been burned off, and what was left on his head was no longer black, but silver instead.

"I seem to have… evolved a little. I must thank you Cyclops and Phoenix. If not for your earlier defeat of me, I may not have gained so much. As it stands, I…" Dark Beast was cut off as Polaris flew at him, screeching.

He deftly avoided her, and then kicked her as she whizzed past him. Polaris smashed through the wall.

"As I was saying… I managed to enter the field unharmed, and sought refuge in the chamber of the monolithic being. It appears that it changed me, but I also fear the power supply of the Tower has been destroyed. You X-men have succeeded in destroying the Tower. A pity, the loss of research, but I can begin anew, elsewhere. Apocalypse's death camps will not be able to function anymore, meaning he will soon wear out this body. And so he shall fall. It matters not, since I will then establish my own world order, an order created by me." The Dark Beast began laughing again. Weapon X growled low in his throat and then lunged forwards, his right hand extended to kill.

Cyclops turned his attention to Havok, who was gaping at Dark Beast. Havok shook his head, and then turned to Cyclops.

"He is useless it seems." Havok shrugged and then scowled at Cyclops.

Cyclops raised his hands in a defensive posture. He would wait for Havok to make the first move.

Phoenix got up unsteadily. The magnetic surge had caught her unawares. She had been trying to get a grip on the Dark Beast, but he was changed, and his sudden attack had disoriented her.

She saw Weapon X rolling on the ground with Dark Beast, and beyond them Cyclops and Havok facing off. Phoenix raised her arms in order to grab both Havok and Dark Beast. She had only a moments warning thanks to her telepathy, and she quickly turned and erected a force shield to counter an EMP blast.

"You bitch, I'll KILL you!" Polaris was getting repetitive, thought Phoenix bemusedly. Her mind had no semblance of thought left except to kill. Hatred seemed to envelop her. Phoenix shied away from such a mind.

Her anger growing, and her frustration at the little delays mounting, Phoenix took to the air as well, her power surging through her as never before.

"Who're you calling a bitch, BITCH!" Phoenix beat back Polaris's attacks and countered with her own telekinetic force wave. Surprisingly Polaris avoided her attack easily and hit back harder. Phoenix began to be hard pressed as Polaris threw all her might at Phoenix.

Gritting her teeth, Phoenix erected a stronger shield. And in desperation struck back at the same time. Phoenix had never been able to use her powers in two different ways, but it was as if a sluice gate had been opened by that one act.

Phoenix let her power fill her and struck.

She strengthened her shield and then struck at Polaris from two different directions, while at the same time creating a wall of rubble around Polaris.

Polaris struggled to protect herself from the attacks, but there were too many.

Finally encased completely in rubble Polaris fell to the ground. Phoenix watched the makeshift tomb critically, knowing it was only a matter of seconds before Polaris reappeared, but she needed to formulate a plan.

She looked around and smiled as her eyes lit upon exactly what she needed.

The tomb glowed for a second and then burst open as Polaris forced her way out. She looked around and saw Phoenix only a few feet away from her.

"Die, you traitorous bitch!" Polaris flew at Phoenix, her hands outstretched, her face contorted in hatred.

Phoenix waited until the last possible second, and then threw up the strongest shield she could. Polaris struck her shield hard, screaming as she tried to ineffectually break past it.

Phoenix waited foe the right moment, and then stepped aside, dropping the shield, so that Polaris fell forward and onto the ground. Polaris spun in place and then stretched her hands out, sending out waves of EMP towards Phoenix.

At that moment Phoenix grabbed at Weapon X with her telekinesis and flung him at Dark Beast. Weapon X cried out, startled, and struck Dark Beast hard, who had no time to evade the sudden move. His claws sunk into Dark Beast's fur and flesh. Dark beast howled in pain, but Phoenix had pulled Weapon X and Dark Beast around and towards Polaris and her. As Polaris struck, Phoenix slammed Dark Beast onto her, with Weapon X on top of Dark Beast. Polaris had a second to cry out in shock, before Weapon X sunk his claws into her chest.

Phoenix finally let Weapon X have control again, and he turned to glare at her, still straddling Polaris and Dark Beast.

"Next time you wanna try something like that Jeannie, you lemme know first!" Weapon X sounded a little… off balance. Phoenix loved throwing Weapon X off balance. People like him and Gambit were too self-confident sometimes for their own good.

As she began laughing, Dark Beast suddenly sprang off the ground, right at Weapon X. Weapon X dodged him, and struck Dark Beast a glancing blow to the head with his clubbed right hand.

Dark Beast fell to the side, and as he did Phoenix grabbed him in intangible and unbreakable coils of pure air molecules.

"This is for all the bullshit you've put me through, asshole." Before Dark Beast could say anything in reply, Phoenix slammed him headfirst into a wall. When she was done, only his legs still stuck out of the wall, twitching feebly.

"Not bad Jeannie… you're a little messy though." Rubble still fell from the wall as Weapon X pointed at the ruined wall Dark Beast was in with his claws to make his point.

Phoenix laughed slightly.

A sudden increase in the heat level of the room alerted her to the attack, but before she could erect any real defense, a plasma blast knocked Weapon X onto her, burning some of his skin away and knocking her out.

"Lornaa!!!!!!" Havok ran forward, skirting Cyclops's attack, and watching in horror as Polaris and Dark Beast were finished off. Before Cyclops could prevent his attack, Havok let loose, firing off a plasma blast down where Phoenix and Weapon X were.

During their fight, Havok and Cyclops had managed to get onto higher ground than the others, Havok's attacks and Cyclops's defense bringing them around the room to a spot 20 feet above the ground. The plane they were on had no railing, and a drop onto rubble would likely kill one of them, or both.

Cyclops grabbed him before he jumped down to finish off Phoenix and Weapon X, and knocked him back with an uppercut.

Havok reeled back, and Cyclops took the time to check on Phoenix and Weapon X. They were both down, and his link with Phoenix told him nothing. She was unconscious. Not dead, thankfully.

Cyclops turned to Havok who had regained his footing, and was advancing on Cyclops, with murder in his eyes.

Cyclops sighed, knowing that he had to either kill his brother, or be killed. He had so far maintained a defensive posture, trying to wear out Havok and then convince him to turn. Naïve, was all he could think of that idea now. He muttered a silent apology to his dead parents, and then ran forward.

Havok struck first, a punch that Cyclops didn't even try to avoid, instead taking the shot and striking back with one of his own. There was no finesse, no real technique, the two brother punched and kicked at each other with pure savagery. They locked together in a deadly embrace, trying to rip out each others arms. Havok went for the remaining tube connecting Cyclops's left gauntlet and visor. Cyclops meanwhile continuously struck at Havok's head, powerful blows that made Havok's head ring.

They broke free and leaped back together, punching and kicking again, Havok trying to strike at Cyclops's tube, Cyclops targeting Havok's head.

Finally Havok tried to get Cyclops into a bear hug, and he succeeded in wrapping his arms around Cyclops's hips. He tried to maneuver Cyclops into position, so he could crush his ribs, but Cyclops made it easy for him. He slipped lower, and as Havok began pressing down, he suddenly breathed out, let his chest expand and then suddenly contract and slipped low enough to smash his visor against Havok's nose. Havok let go of him and cursed, one hand covering his nose, which was leaking blood.

"You sonofabitch!" Havok cried out in anger.

"Don't insult mom, little brother!" Cyclops chose his words carefully, knowing the reminder of his kinship, and calling him 'little' would inflame Havok to the point that he made stupid mistakes.

It worked. Havok yelled in rage, an unintelligible sound, and rushed Cyclops. Cyclops sidestepped him, and kicked his head from the back. As Havok stumbled Cyclops finally utilized some of the fighting techniques he had learnt, and grabbed Havok's arm, spun him around, using his own momentum, and smashed his elbow into Havok's nose again.

Havok reeled back, his nose letting loose a fountain of blood. He covered his nose to protect it, and smeared his face with his own blood. Cyclops darted forward again, and pulled Havok forward with his left hand, while kicking his legs back. Havok tripped, and as he fell forward, Cyclops used his right hand to uppercut Havok backwards. As Havok teetered near an edge, Cyclops ran forward and powering up his left gauntlet, punched Havok hard on the side of his head. Havok's eyes glazed over and he fell off the edge, falling down. As he fell, Cyclops used his powers again, hitting Havok hard. Although it wouldn't damage Havok as it would someone else, the force of the attack sped up his descent, and Havok smashed onto the ground, hard.

Cyclops relaxed a little and sighed. He again silently apologized to his parents, and then began walking down the way he and Havok had come up. As he reached the bottom he noticed Weapon X walking over to him, holding Phoenix in his arms. Cyclops walked over to them.

"Is she all right?" Cyclops stroked Phoenix's forehead, brushing back strands of hair.

Weapon X grunted an affirmative, and then handed Phoenix to him.

"One sec, bub." As Cyclops watched confusedly, Weapon X walked over to Havok's body and bent down. Grabbing Havok's head, Weapon X cleanly snapped his neck.

"What the hell was that for?" Cyclops was mildly annoyed.

"Just making sure pal. Now lets go get ol' lips. I don't want the fight to finish before we get there."

Weapon X began walking towards the hole in the wall they had come from.

Cyclops shook his head and followed, Phoenix still unconscious in his arms.

x---------------x

Weapon X burst into the large room the rest of the X-men had gone into only to find chaos.

Bodies lay scattered amongst the debris of the room. Not one room, more like two large halls, the floor of one of which had collapsed, filling the lower hall with rubble and rock-like material – it wasn't stone, neither was it metal, but a somewhat different type of substance – a lot of it, so much so that Weapon X could sense that there was a lot of the lower hall below the rubble. The walls crackled with energy, and high above them a maelstrom thundered. Only one figure stood in the room, that of Apocalypse, holding up the body of Scarlet Witch with one hand, the other pressed against her body. Weapon X could not tell, but it seemed as though Apocalypse was draining her. His heightened senses told him that the other X-men, at least not all of them, were not dead. However the very fact that some were dead, and that the X-men's defeat had been near total, drove him into a berserker rage. Weapon X tried to speak, but a totally animal growl erupted from his throat.

Clenching the fist on his one good hand he leapt forward, the claws extended. Apocalypse seemed a little surprised. So much so that he didn't move in time. Weapon X smashed into him, forcing Scarlet Witch's body form his hands. His claws drove into his armored body again and again, but no blood erupted, which served only to frustrate the animal in Weapon X.

Finally Apocalypse managed to get a grip on Weapon X and flung him off him.

Weapon X landed on his feet however, and ran forward again. However Apocalypse stunned him with a blast of energy that knocked him to his senses.

"I take no pleasure in taming an animal. I will however take pleasure in a battle of skill. I will fight you on your terms, animal." Apocalypse seemed amused.

Apocalypse swelled for a second and then shrunk a little, until he was roughly the size of a very large man, rather than a small giant.

"Now come, feral. Test your skill against mine..." Apocalypse smiled slightly.

Weapon X began circling Apocalypse. His opponent was tricky, and there was no telling that he would abide by his word. Weapon X was self-effacing enough to know that he was no match for Apocalypse normally. And now… in a test of pure skill Weapon X would match himself against anyone, but Apocalypse was the oldest living being on the planet. Who knows how much skill he had picked up over the years?

Weapon X feinted to Apocalypse's left, but Apocalypse made no move. He feinted again, this tie to the right, and then quickly rushed forward to attack Apocalypse's legs. Apocalypse again made no move against the feint, but as Weapon X attacked in earnest, he jumped back slightly, avoiding the blow to the legs that would have crippled a human or physically un-augmented mutant. Weapon X didn't stop moving but followed up with another move, and another, each successively avoided by Apocalypse. Weapon X was getting annoyed, since as far as he could tell, Apocalypse wasn't moving all that fast, just that he was always one step ahead of him.

"Damn you, stop cheating!" Weapon X couldn't help but let the complaint huff out.

Apocalypse… laughed, almost mockingly. He seemed to be in fine spirits. Not something Weapon X had seen much.

"Cheating? I gave my word, feral. I do not renege on it… unless it suits me to of course. In any case, I am not cheating now. I am currently holding myself back to the physical condition of a human that is in top condition, such fitness as would be needed to handle the repertoire of skills at my command." Apocalypse gestured to Weapon X to begin again.

"You're reading my mind. You can't avoid all my moves!" Weapon X was getting annoyed.

"Mind reading? You attribute a skill to me that I do not have… yet. However, I am not using telepathy. I am merely analyzing your posture and assuming what moves you will use next. Your swing on the hunting hawk is a little off. It should be like… this!" And then Apocalypse moved, three kicks connecting square on Weapon X's chest, each kick sending both combatants higher, until the third kick knocked Weapon X down to the ground hard, all the breath knocked out of him. Before he could recover, Apocalypse's heel was above his neck.

"You are finished, feral. I win." Weapon X was confused, how could Apocalypse have defeated him so easily? Only his sensei had ever managed to so soundly defeat him with the moves he had been taught. Apocalypse had performed the maneuver perfectly, as his sensei had.

However as Weapon X finally realized he was about to die, and do anything to stop it, twin crimson blasts struck Apocalypse hard.

Apocalypse staggered back, and Weapon X used the chance to roll back and away from Apocalypse.

"Get away from him." Cyclops spoke with a quiet air of authority, and Apocalypse raised part of his massive forehead, in an approximation of what a raised eyebrow would look like, in amused surprise.

"Ordering me, my rebellious High Prelate? I once had great hopes for you. A disappointment… weak at the end." Apocalypse sneered and turned away, walking away from them. Weapon X tensed for an attack, but then Apocalypse turned and asked, almost conversationally;

"I suppose you have defeated your brother? I would take it amiss had you not yet taken care of him. And that fool Polaris. I know they had some plan with the Dark Beast. I suppose I should thank you, and yet with both Sinister and Dark Beast dead… I have no one to watch over the genetic advancement of this world. I could do it myself… but that distracts one from the big picture." Apocalypse stopped talking.

He then grew again, to the familiar size, looming over them from twenty feet away.

"It is time to finish, X-men, time to be done. I have waited long for this… my ultimate victory on this earth, a testament to victories I have won, and victories I will win."

He began moving forward, raising his hands slowly. Weapon X tensed, and felt Cyclops tense beside him.

"NO!" Suddenly the ground a few yards to Apocalypse's left seemed to erupt as Magneto rose up. Weapon X had barely noticed him, half buried as he had been.

"I am not finished yet butcher, and neither are my X-men!" Magneto gestured and suddenly pieces of debris floated to him, coating him in armor. His eyes shone with the amount of power he was wielding.

"I have given myself over completely, you understand Apocalypse? Completely. I am my power. I am the very bedrock, the very foundation of this worlds existence on which all psionic energy allows life to grow. I am your bane!" Suddenly Magneto flashed with power, and the maelstrom above began growing wilder, the sound tearing at Weapon X's heightened senses. Magneto raised a hand and then the maelstrom expanded and suddenly shrunk, imploding from inside as it did. A rain of energy swirled out, and Weapon X felt his adamantium skeleton move inside him. His hair was standing on end, and the animal in him wanted to howl with fear and confusion.

The rain of energy struck Apocalypse, driving the behemoth back. For an instant Weapon X thought he could see anxiety on Apocalypse's face, and then it was replaced by cold determination. Weapon X knew that look.

Magneto's rain continued to drive Apocalypse back, but now it seemed to be pushing him back only rather than hurting _and _driving him back.

Magneto dropped his hand, and Apocalypse still stood strong, though slightly bent. Whatever it was Magneto had done, it had hurt Apocalypse.

"Feel my might demon." Magneto gestured again and the Tower shook as something was pulled into it. Suddenly the walls were torn apart as huge ships tore through them. Apocalypse's infinite carriers… Magneto had raised them from the wrecks they were outside and brought them in. Magneto had never shown this much power before… Weapon X wondered exactly what Magneto had meant by 'giving' himself to the power.

"Not just his." As the ships swept by him and Cyclops, Weapon X saw the X-men begin to rise. Rogue flew up nearby her husband while speaking, and the other X-men rose from the ground. It wasn't heroic in the sense of stories where men and women rose up as though given new life. It was men and women standing on their last legs. Colossus stood by Angel, supporting the winged mutant. Angel's leg was clearly broken. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat stood nearby, back to back almost using each other as support. Sabretooth held Blinks body in his arms. She wasn't dead, just out cold. Storm rose proudly into the air. Quicksilver was already kneeling by his sister, too close to Apocalypse for comfort really. Psylocke and Emma stood holding onto Juggernaut's arms using the tireless giant as support. The X-men were up, but they were almost finished. Magneto had woke them up? Weapon X didn't know.

_No stupid. I did…_ Weapon X would have recognized that tone anywhere. Jean… no Phoenix was up. And ready to fight. But how had she woken them all up?

"I just did Logan. WE all do what we must, you and Scott both taught me that." Weapon X turned slightly to see both Cyclops and Phoenix standing nearby, shoulder to shoulder. She turned her head towards Cyclops and he nodded.

"You stand with us Logan. Attack, we'll cover." Then she pressed her hand to her forehead, and Weapon X heard her voice in his mind, and he knew that everyone else heard it too.

It's time to really take the fight to this monster, X-men. I'll keep us linked, along with Psylocke and Emma. We just need to wait about 2 seconds… yeah that's it, here he comes. The last bit smacked of pride, and then the ground right in front of Apocalypse burst upwards, and a blur of pure golden shot out of the ground.

Before Apocalypse could do anything it struck him, hard and Apocalypse fell back onto one knee. The golden blur shimmered and resolved into Nate, with glowing nimbus of energy around him. One of his eyes was emitting a constant golden light, much like Magneto's eyes were emitting Magnetic light, but Nate's was much brighter.

"Now! Attack!" Magneto's command sprung them like tightly wound coils. Out of the corner of his eye as he sped towards Apocalypse, Weapon X saw Sabretooth put Blink down before running forward, snarling as well. Colossus ran forward as did Juggernaut, bearing down on him from two sides. Nightcrawler grabbed Shadowcat and disappeared. Rogue flew towards Apocalypse, while Storm gathered her wind around her. With the outside atmosphere open to her, the wind-rider was able to use her power more effectively. Cyclops held Phoenix's hand with his un-powered gauntlet hand, and raised his other to point at Apocalypse. Phoenix's other hand was raised to her head, as were Emma's and Psylocke's. Rogue swooped down on Apocalypse, while Quicksilver ran from the other side, his features twisted in vengeance.

Apocalypse laughed once as they rushed him. Then there was too much chaos for laughter. Weapon X reached him first, striking hard, but Apocalypse managed to swat him aside. Weapon X bounced, but managed to land on his feet. He snarled once and ran back. Colossus reached him next, managing to get a hit in, before Apocalypse struck him away. Colossus fell backwards, but also got up again. Sabretooth reached him at the same time as Quicksilver and he clawed at Apocalypse and Quicksilver began running in a circle around Apocalypse, but far enough away to not draw Sabretooth into the circle of wind he was creating. Apocalypse finally managed to knock away Sabretooth, just in time to get flung back by Juggernaut. The two went head to head, and for a second Juggernaut seemed to gain the advantage, knocking Apocalypse down to one knee again. But Apocalypse got up with an uppercut knocking Juggernaut back, and struck again three times in quick succession, so that Juggernaut was flung back. Rogue hit him next, while Quicksilver continued to run around. Rogue managed to dart under his hands as he reached for her, and struck him hard below the chin. He seemed to absorb the punch however, and struck back, crumpling her to the ground in front of her.

Nightcrawler and Shadowcat suddenly appeared, Shadowcat turning Rogue immaterial, and Apocalypse grabbed only air as he clawed at the spot Rogue was. Nightcrawler grabbed them as Apocalypse raised his fist to use some energy attack, and bamfed them out as the energy erupted from Apocalypse's hands.

_Stop Logan. It's our turn_. Phoenix was commanding and Weapon X realized they were all moving in perfect co-ordination.

Magneto, Storm, Cyclops, Nate and the three telepaths all aimed at Apocalypse, and let loose. As they did, Quicksilver rapidly decreased the radius of his circle, and spun Apocalypse into the air. As he did, lightning struck Apocalypse, followed by two crimson beams, and a blast of Magnetic energy. Something unseen struck at Apocalypse again, as Weapon X saw him flinch. And then Nate struck, almost tangible psionic energy rushing from his hands to strike at Apocalypse.

As the attacks ceased, Quicksilver stopped running and ran to his step-mother, who was crouched nearby Scarlet Witch, who Shadowcat and Nightcrawler were raising up to a sitting position. It was good to know she was alive.

Apocalypse fell hard, and for a second there was no movement. Weapon X was seized by an impossible hope. But then Apocalypse stood again, seemingly unhurt. However his face was twisted in rage… and maybe excitement...?

"I have rarely faced such an attack, such determination. Such… force of will to match mine. Too little too late." Weapon X was coming to another conclusion about Apocalypse. The monster, rumored to be mostly silent and intimidating, was fairly talkative. Still intimidating though.

Apocalypse suddenly struck three times in succession. He slammed his hands together in the air, sending vibrations through the air, disorienting Magneto, Storm and Nate, and then slammed his fists into the ground, sending out a shockwave that toppled over anyone on their feet. He followed this by raising his hands which flexed once. Suddenly an explosion occurred there, and energy smashed through everyone in the room.

Cyclops coughed and spat out blood, rising shakily to his hands and knees. He had bitten his tongue. He looked around and saw Phoenix rising to her feet shakily. Her telekinetic shield had spared her much of the assault of the explosion… likely caused by a fusion reaction… Apocalypse knew how to use those with deadly efficiency. He looked around to see most of the X-men rising to their feet, but Angel, Shadowcat and Nightcrawler were down. Cyclops doubted they were dead, the explosion had not been that bad. Sabretooth and Weapon X were already running towards Apocalypse again, while Magneto was taking to the skies. Emma and Psylocke seemed no worse for wear either. For a moment Cyclops couldn't find Nate, and then he breathed in relief as he found him, and then his throat constricted again. Nate was heading right for Apocalypse, and this time Apocalypse was grinning openly, almost welcoming Nate. Juggernaut and Colossus were both standing again, although Colossus was a little woozy. Scarlet Witch was back up, as was Rogue. Quicksilver was supporting his sister. Near Magneto, Storm rose into the air as well. 14 X-men still stood and fought. Cyclops reached for Phoenix's hand again. Her small hand firmed around his large gauntleted one, and squeezed briefly.

Nate smashed into Apocalypse, and both of them were suddenly in the air, grappling. How Nate could grapple with someone three times his size was beyond Cyclops, but he was. Then Cyclops saw Nate gesture to his side and suddenly a blazing rod of psionic flame was clasped in his hand. He struck at Apocalypse, who winced as the rod struck him. A weapon that could hurt him! Cyclops felt proud, but knew Apocalypse would see Nate as the most dangerous enemy now.

Cyclops and Phoenix struck as one, two crimsons beams from Cyclops, and a telekinetic representation of Phoenix's power, a fiery bird… fitted to her new codename. Nate dodged to the side just in time and the bird and the beams hit Apocalypse hard. Apocalypse stumbled slightly, and then straightened and began laughing. The X-men attacked again, Weapon X and Sabretooth running around him, hacking and clawing, while Storm struck with ball lightning. Colossus and Juggernaut hit him from two different sides, and Magneto hit him intermittently with EMP and energy beams. Meanwhile Rogue and Quicksilver helped Scarlet Witch get back to her feet and were talking to her.

Suddenly Phoenix's voice was in his head again.

_Okay, we'll be hitting him through ranged attacks now. Keep him off balance guys, Wanda's going to go for a big spell…_

The X-men struck again, attacking and attacking without any respite. As Apocalypse knocked one X-man away, another took his place. Sabretooth was flung away, and Weapon X took his place. Apocalypse threw Weapon X to the side, and Rogue darted in to hit him a few times. Apocalypse swatted Rogue aside, and Quicksilver was there, trying to hit him hard enough to hurt. Colossus and Juggernaut continued to pummel him from either side, and Apocalypse was slowly lagging in his responses and attacks. They were doing it! With a massively powerful blow Juggernaut finally knocked Apocalypse down. Rogue, Colossus and Juggernaut beat on the fallen Apocalypse, until Cyclops couldn't see Apocalypse anymore, so deep was he buried in rubble and debris. Suddenly Juggernaut and Colossus's arms stopped moving, as though caught in a vice. They were flung aside, and then Apocalypse began to grow. He was suddenly nearly twenty feet tall, and he kicked Rogue aside contemptuously. Quicksilver stopped attacking, and darted away before he could be crushed.

Magneto and Storm just began attacking harder and faster, as did Cyclops, and he could feel Phoenix attacking too. He assumed Emma and Psylocke were attacking as well. Nate was there again, and he struck with his rod, again causing the most damage. Then Cyclops saw Nate attempting a sort of combination maneuver, and realized that Nate knew how to wield his staff… in much the same way as Gambit had. Indeed Nate seemed to be using the very moves Gambit did. He wondered how he had learnt them. Nate hit Apocalypse three times in rapid succession, staff blurring into a circle of energy, and then struck at Apocalypse with a beam of energy as wide as the circle made by the staff. As the flash of light died out Cyclops saw that Apocalypse was still standing. Laughing he grabbed Nate in his huge hands and flung him down, and was about to crush him, when suddenly Magneto was there.

Magneto grabbed his leg and pushed back. Apocalypse pushed harder and Magneto was driven back. Suddenly Juggernaut was below him and he pushed up, as did Rogue, and then Apocalypse was pushed back and up.

The behemoth crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dirt.

Cyclops looked to the side as a humming grew. Scarlet Witch floated in the air, her hair flying around her and her eyes glowing with power. Strange chants echoed along the walls, a haunting verse, and Cyclops felt the hair on his hands and nape stand on end. Apocalypse stood and looked at Scarlet Witch. He began running towards her, knocking everyone out of the way. Magneto tried to hold him back, but Apocalypse smashed past him easily, and knocked Juggernaut down as well, by simply using Juggernauts own momentum to trip him up. He jumped into the air, but Scarlet Witch was done. Hundreds, or rather thousands of red tendrils suddenly leapt out of thin air and rushed towards Apocalypse. Smashing into him, and disappearing into him. Within a few seconds all the tendrils had gone into Apocalypse who was glowing red. Explosions began to take place all over Apocalypse's body, glowing balls of fire and energy of all other colors exploding on and inside Apocalypse. He fell to the ground and a strange rune suddenly began glowing below him. It began to rotate, and another superimposed on the first rotated the other way. Suddenly the walls thundered and the top of the Tower was split open as a beam of pure white light fell from the heavens and hit Apocalypse. The X-men were flung back.

Magneto shook his head to get rid of the after glare still stinging his eyes. He looked around. Nate was down, as was Quicksilver. Colossus was struggling to stand, but then collapsed. Rogue was moving, and Emma, Cyclops and Phoenix seemed to be much better off than the others. Psylocke was down. Apparently she had been in front of Emma when the light struck. Cyclops and Phoenix were hurrying towards Nate now. Storm was fine in the sky as well. Juggernaut was helping Sabretooth and Weapon X up, but far away. Magneto searched out his daughter and saw her still hovering in the air.

Slowly Scarlet Witch descended. Her eyes were still glowing, and her hands seemed to blur as she moved.

Magneto floated over to her, and she looked at him blankly.

"I feel… I feel funny father. I have never tried such a strong spell before." She stumbled, but before Magneto could catch her she was upright again.

"You'll be fine my dear. You have made me proud. It's over." Magneto tried to hug her, but Scarlet Witch drew back.

"Over? No… it's not over just yet." She pointed behind him, and Magneto turned slowly. Could Apocalypse have survived even this?

Apocalypse had. He was climbing slowly out of the hole he had been blasted into. His armor was blackened in many places, and his face was torn. Magneto could see parts of his skull beneath his forehead.

"You… have hurt me more than I have ever been hurt in my five thousand years of existence. I was right to want this power… And I will have it!" Apocalypse began moving again, and before Magneto or Scarlet Witch could react, a beam of intense energy shot out of Apocalypse's eyes. It struck Magneto, knocking him down. Scarlet Witch began preparing a spell, but Apocalypse was suddenly looming over her. He shrunk to his normal size again, but he was still nearly twice her height.

"Not this time." Magneto tried to stand, but his legs felt like rubber. Whatever had hit him, he had been slowed down, and …

Magneto wanted to scream but he couldn't. Apocalypse struck Scarlet Witch hard. She fell back, but then suddenly she was growing to match his size.

"Try me now, monster." Her voice was detached and cold. The two went at it, but Magneto could see immediately Apocalypse was clearly dominant.

The two fought, and as they did, fire and beams of energy flew everywhere. Each blow they struck shot out sparks of energy.

Scarlet Witch tried to curse him, to hex him, but Apocalypse was always too fast.

"I have faced and defeated a sorceress before… and she was far more experienced. You stand no chance." Apocalypse sounded grimmer than death. And then he latched onto Scarlet Witch. Before she could do anything, his hands burned once, and then her eyes widened. She tried to scream, but it was too late.

Her mouth erupted with purple fire, and her eyes shot out gouts of flame. Apocalypse flung her away and she fell, her eyes burned away, leaving only sockets, smoke rising slowly from her mouth.

"I have been weakened Magneto… but I know you are at your strongest now, even though you too hurt. Come!" Apocalypse turned and Magneto rushed him, screaming in rage.

Magneto and Apocalypse exchanged blows, Magneto striking harder and more furiously than she had believed possible. Phoenix could see them almost blur as they fought. Her senses were still spinning. For some reason her power level had jumped up crazily, especially after the fight with Sinister and the fight with Polaris, Havok and Dark Beast. She was far more aware of everything around her, as well as others thoughts.

The X-men gathered their strength. The battle between Magneto and Apocalypse was too close, too furious for any to consider joining. She turned her attention back to Cyclops and her son. Nate was breathing slowly, but surely. That was a relief. She could feel Nate's awareness… feel his condition. He was hurting, but he would be fine. Cyclops was also fine, he was barely winded. He was a little saddened, but then he had had to kill his own brother. He was hard in many ways, much harder than her, but she knew that like everyone, he was vulnerable in some places. Cyclops finished making a make shift resting place for Nate and then turned to her, getting up slowly.

"He's not falling Jean. Even he showed have been done by now. No one has such a vast supply of mutant energy, no one… Unless he's feeding himself somehow." Cyclops sounded thoughtful. Phoenix knew the answer though. She didn't know how, just that it was part of this power she had begun manifesting.

"It's his manipulation of molecules. Every time he sets of an explosion, he creates a lot of energy. But to keep that energy form destroying everything around, like a nuclear bomb would, he draws some of the energy into himself. He constantly replenishes himself. That's why we need to get away from him, fight him not from close quarters but ranged." Phoenix knew that now… and she needed to figure out how to implement it.

Suddenly Cyclops was there in her mind. Their link was two way.

_Leave implementation to me. Magneto's in no shape to lead right now, he's interested in vengeance. He's still our strongest ranged member. We need to break that fight._ Cyclops sounded calm, and somehow completely in his element.

The other X-men were slowly getting up, but some didn't stand after the first attempt. Rogue, Juggernaut, Sabretooth, Weapon X, Storm, Emma Frost and the two of them were all who were left standing. The others were either unconscious or dead.

"Link us all Jean." Cyclops's voice held an air of command.

Phoenix put her hands to her head, and then contacted Emma. Together the two of them used their power to telepathically connect everyone, excepting Magneto who was too focused on Apocalypse to care.

Cyclops spoke to everyone in her head, quickly outlining what needed to be done.

_We need to hit him with ranged attacks. Rogue, Weapon X, Sabretooth and Juggernaut… you'll have to hit him hard but fast. Don't stick around, just get in and out. Keep him distracted from Emma, Storm, Jean and I. We'll be hitting him from the back. We need to deplete his energy sources, or we'll never win. And every time he's engaged in close quarters he uses a controlled nuclear explosion, which only increases his strength and energy. If we can keep at it for a while, we can take him out. Right now though we have to get him away from Magneto. Rogue, appeal to him with Emma's help. The rest of you, we'll have to break them apart_. Cyclops finished talking. Rogue eyed him for a moment. Technically, she was Magneto's second. Still, she nodded agreeing with Cyclops's plan.

They faced the battle raging in the middle again. Magneto was still brutally attacking Apocalypse, but his attacks were getting slower, while Apocalypse took it, only sporadically hitting back. Each of Apocalypse's hits was delivered with the same precise speed and strength, and it was more like he was slowly wearing out Magneto, than from any exhaustion on his part.

They began attacking, trying to break the two combatants apart, but neither Apocalypse, nor Magneto seemed to budge from any attack.

Finally Weapon X, Juggernaut, Sabretooth and Rogue went in to rip the two of them away.

Suddenly Apocalypse began to speed up his attack, landing two solid blows that drove Magneto down, and then letting off another nuclear blast as soon as the four X-men got close.

Magneto was just able to get his shields up, but the others were flung away, Sabretooth the closest smashed into Juggernaut and the two of them collapsed near the doorway they had all entered from. Weapon X fell, his skin and flesh again burning. Rogue was mostly unmarked, and she was getting up again soon after the explosion. Juggernaut got up too, but Sabretooth was unconscious. Even Weapon X had trouble getting to his feet.

As they fell, Magneto rose again and smashed his fist into the ground right in front of Apocalypse, creating a huge magnetic wave that spread outward for a few meters before dying out. Where he struck however a huge pillar of energy erupted from the ground, driving back Apocalypse. Magneto rose in the air above the temporarily downed Apocalypse like an executioner.

"For all you have murdered, for my daughter, for this world… I will destroy you utterly." Magneto sped downward, his eyes spitting magnetic energy now. His hands glowed as bright as the sun, and Phoenix had to shield her eyes. The very air around him began to ripple and flux, as though caught in a maelstrom. As he crashed into Apocalypse, Apocalypse smashed his hands together, and another explosion took place, not so controlled this time. A great ball of fire erupted, surrounded by crackling energy and lightning. The ball of fire bloomed and then collapsed, the energy around it seemingly pushing it down. It knocked them all off their feet, and sent Phoenix flying. Magneto slammed into the ground a few feet away, and the energy dissipated to reveal a large hole where Apocalypse had been.

_Is it over?_ Phoenix wasn't sure. Could Apocalypse have been defeated, after all this time? Phoenix didn't know. She tried to stand up, but the ground seemed to lurch beneath her feet. Maybe she was just dizzy, but she could swear she couldn't stand properly.

Rogue got up again and began walking slowly, and very unsteadily to where Magneto lay. Phoenix didn't think Rogue could move any faster.

Nearby Weapon X stirred, and began rising. Juggernaut stood slowly, lifting Sabretooth in his arms. Sabretooth kept on slipping, although Juggernaut held him tight. Storm took to the air, but almost at the same began diving down. She crashed next to Phoenix.

"What is going on? The very earth and the winds are impossible to navigate right now… By the Goddess… I hope this is the end."

Cyclops rose from the one knee he had been driven to, nodding agreement with what Storm had said. Even he seemed unbalanced even though he stood with a firm stance.

Magneto slowly moved as well, his shattered helmet falling to the ground. He got onto his hands and knees. His eyes seemed glazed over, and they weren't shining anymore. Phoenix felt hope rise in her chest.

Suddenly the ground rumbled, and then a figure shot out from under the hole. Apocalypse roared in fury as he landed on his feet next to Magneto.

"NO!" Rogue screamed and began running, or trying to, but she couldn't place her feet properly, and ended up tripping more often than not. Phoenix was stunned into inaction.

Apocalypse grabbed Magneto by the neck and lifted him into the air.

"So finally, your power is almost gone. The magnetic currents here have been almost entirely displaced. Can you not feel it X-men? The very earth no longer holds you securely. It will realign in a matter of seconds. But that is all the time I need. My plan worked brilliantly. Force Magneto to utilize his power to the limit, shaping the very current of this place. And then set off a nuclear explosion in the center of it. His power was ripped away from him, and lost for a few seconds.

When it returns he will be too weak even then to erect even the weakest of shields." As he finished speaking he raised Magneto above his head and then smashed him down hard. Most of Magneto's hips and back smashed into Apocalypse's upraised knee, and Magneto screamed in pain. Apocalypse tossed him to the ground and then stamped his boot onto Magneto's back again. Phoenix could hear the sound of bone being shattered. Magneto flopped around below Apocalypse. Laughing Apocalypse placed his hand behind Magneto's head.

"Farewell, old enemy. First Xavier, then the High Council, and now you. The only real threat to me dies with you." Apocalypse's hand began to glow.

Phoenix broke free of the paralysis that had caught her and raised her hand, to do anything, to stop him. Cyclops beside her tried to focus a target, and shot his optic blast. Storm hurled ball lightning, and Phoenix could sense Emma hurling telepathic attacks at Apocalypse. Juggernaut and Weapon X were on their feet, and making their way to Apocalypse, still lurching but not as unsteady as before. Rogue began to scream in horror.

There was a small flash, and then Magneto's eyes and mouth burst open as energy shot through his head. Magneto's head flopped down, his eye sockets burning in almost the same way as his daughter's had.

Rogue's scream turned into a wail of horror. And ironically, the magnetic current stabilized at that moment. Rogue's sluggish movements became fluid suddenly. She stumbled and fell at Apocalypse's feet, near her husband's dead body.

Phoenix was knocked off balance, as was Cyclops, both falling back. Juggernaut kept on moving, mainly because he was not so much affected by the change in magnetic currents. Weapon X also stumbled, but kept on moving, regaining his balance quickly. Storm was already taking to the air. Emma had fallen, and was trying to get up.

The still standing X-men attacked savagely, including her. They struck at Apocalypse blindly, hitting him with all they had. Except Rogue who only crawled to her husband. Juggernaut and Weapon X leapt at Apocalypse. Weapon X hacked at his head, while Juggernaut punched him backwards, away from Rogue and Magneto's body.

Rogue was crying, holding Magneto tightly to her.

Cyclops was shouting something but Phoenix could not tell what. The bond pulsed with urgency, but she was too angry right now. Apocalypse had already killed so many, directly or indirectly. She wanted it to end. She felt the power in her burgeon, but she held it back, unconsciously knowing that to let loose would lead to disaster.

Cyclops suddenly grabbed her left arm.

"Stop it Jean! This isn't the way to kill him! We need to hit him strategically, keep him off balance. Not attack the same way again and again. That will set up a pattern. We need to break free of any pattern. Get this into everyone's heads!" Her sudden rage died, and she nodded. Cyclops left her hand then and began to charge up his gauntlet.

_STOP! We have to work with the earlier plan. Weapon X, Juggernaut, short and sweet. Storm, Emma, we need to hit him hard and in different ways. Move around, make him waste energy_. Phoenix's message was the equivalent of a thousand man fanfare. The X-men got it, each gripping his or her head for a few seconds. Apocalypse used the time to push away Juggernaut and Weapon X, but the two jumped back on him, and then Storm and Cyclops began striking at Apocalypse in the spaces Weapon X and Juggernaut left. Phoenix and Emma waited for the instant to strike, and hit him telepathically whenever he was weakest there. Phoenix began hitting him telekinetically as well, psionic strikes that made one of her eyes glow like Nate's had.

They kept attacking for a bit, and suddenly Phoenix realized Apocalypse was tiring. And she could feel other X-men stirring. Including Nate. She felt hope surge in her. They could do it!

Cyclops rolled closer to Apocalypse and shot him hard with his visor and his gauntlet. He began rolling back quickly, and his hands were moving, telling them where to hit, and how to hit. His plan was working.

And then suddenly with a cry of rage, Apocalypse threw off Weapon X and Juggernaut, and then shot at Juggernaut with an intense blast of energy. Juggernaut fell, and was still. To take out Juggernaut he must have expended a lot of energy. Phoenix smiled. He was losing energy, she could sense it. His size was shrinking, though he was still almost fifteen feet tall. She kept on smiling as she hit him, and then she realized his target. Her smile slipped.

Apocalypse was heading right for Cyclops.

"You! You traitor… you're the one planning this attack. You're the one I have to finish off now." Apocalypse was too fast. He smashed into Cyclops knocking him far back. Phoenix tried to hold Apocalypse back with her power, but he was too strong, breaking free. How much energy could he have left? She began running forward. Weapon X was coming form behind Apocalypse too.

Apocalypse lifted Cyclops, and then backhanded him hard with a glowing fist. Cyclops's visor shattered and his eyes shot out crimson energy before he managed to close them. He fell, trying to find a place, and Apocalypse hit him again, and Phoenix could feel Cyclops's shoulder crack. Suddenly Apocalypse lifted Cyclops. His free hand grabbed Cyclops face and he forced his eyes open. The energy surged out, and into Apocalypse's hand. And then Apocalypse was sucking the energy into himself. Within a few seconds he was done and he threw Cyclops aside. Phoenix could feel her link diminish. Cyclops wasn't dead, but he was close to it.

Disaster be damned… She gritted her teeth and felt the power in her flare to impossible heights, and then she was the flame. She was the Phoenix. She was power.

Cyclops fell to the ground with a soft grunt. He barely had energy left to do anything else. He felt strange. He opened his eyes and the world was there in vivid color. He would have gasped, except he couldn't. He flopped around on the ground for a few seconds, waiting for the end. And then he heard Apocalypse's cry of anger and shock. He felt wind rushing behind him, and then Apocalypse's cry of alarm. He heard muffled thumps, like those from explosions.

The link hummed with rage, and something… alien. He desperately tried to turn around, and finally managed to. What he saw was impossible.

Apocalypse was being tossed around , gripped in the claws of a huge fiery bird. A bird that surrounded Phoenix. A phoenix in fact! She was beautiful. Cyclops had never seen her through his eyes in all colors. Her hair shone red, and her skin was creamy, yet reddened slightly by the sun. Apocalypse fell to the ground, and Phoenix swooped down behind him. Apocalypse stood hastily, and turned to fight against his enemy. Phoenix struck at him, each blow accompanied by one from the fiery bird like nimbus surrounding her. Apocalypse struck back, and was successful in getting in a few hits, but Phoenix was unstoppable.

Cyclops began to feel uneasy. This was not Jean! Something else was within her. He could move, but slowly.

Phoenix and Apocalypse were going toe-to-toe now. She struck at him, he struck back. Each blow cost the other some, but Apocalypse was staggering more than Phoenix.

Finally Apocalypse fell to the ground, and began backing away.

"Who… what… this is impossible. Not yet, this cannot happen so soon!" Apocalypse stood again, his face showing slight apprehension and a hint of excitement.

"I have waited eons for this, dark one. I expected this moment to come much later. I sensed the aberration before, when the High Prelate first rebelled and tried to rescue you. I did not know it for what it was then, but now I do. I readied this world for you, destroyer, but too little too late. Events wait on no one, not even I. Come then!" Apocalypse leapt forward, and then Phoenix spoke. The second she did however, Cyclops knew something else was in here, something Apocalypse knew, or knew of.

"**So, you know of me, 'dread lord'? Do you know what burns through my veins? I am life incarnate, I am power itself. I am the end and beginning of all, the ruler of all and nothing. I was, I am, and I will be, forever. You could never be ready for me. I am PHOENIX**!" The entity controlling Jean, the Phoenix spread its arms wide, and then the entire room was filled with blazing light.

"**I will destroy you, and then this world. I will take it all**." Then the Phoenix lunged forward.

Apocalypse met Phoenix again, and the exchanged blows, hard and strong enough to make the walls tremble with every strike. The very ground shook as the two titanic forces met. However Apocalypse was losing. The Phoenix was stronger.

Cyclops was torn. Phoenix was going to destroy the world, it had said so. It had taken over Jean. But it would also rid the world of Apocalypse. Could he afford to wait? Wait till it destroyed Apocalypse? No. He had to think of Jean.

"Jean…" the word croaked in his mouth, and he gathered his strength.

"JEAN!" He screamed with all his heart and the bond trembled, and then was pulsing with life. He fed all his hopes, dreams and love into the bond, and felt an echo, an echo that drove away the entity.

Jean… Cyclops sighed with relief.

_I'm here, love. I am sorry… I thought… I…_ Jean was tempted, tempted sorely. Cyclops could feel it. The Phoenix promised much, yet it could not control Jean yet. It was not fully awakened. It could only lure so far, only have acceptance to continue. Cyclops determinedly sent forward his hopes again, and a warning to Jean. Even Apocalypse was apprehensive of the Phoenix, and the Phoenix would just be another Apocalypse, another destroyer, it had named itself so. Jean's resolve hardened.

_No… I want no part of this._ Suddenly the Phoenix flared around Jean for a second, and then was gone. Cyclops felt the essence of the entity vanish, and felt it leave, through Jean. It was regretful, almost peevish, but not grudging.

As it left, Jean collapsed. Cyclops crawled to where she lay.

A few feet away, Apocalypse crouched, staring at Jean.

"So… it is gone then? It will return. And when it does, I intend to be ready. Prepare yourself X-men." Apocalypse stood again, but this time Cyclops was close enough to see that Apocalypse's legs trembled. He was extremely low on energy. Dangerously, fatally low. He had no power left, but the others did.

The battle had awoken more than one of the X-men.

Nearly all who had fallen unconscious were back up, with the exception of Juggernaut and Jean.

_Emma, Psylocke, send this message to everyone. Emma you know the plan, tell everyone else, and implement it._ Cyclops was blunt, but Emma knew what to do, as did Storm. Storm immediately began issuing orders, and the X-men began to attack.

Apocalypse was hit from every side at once. Lightning rained from the sky outside, while telepathy hit him from the inside. Sabretooth and Weapon X hacked at him, while Colossus and Rogue – her face a wooden mask of revenge – punched him. Nightcrawler and Shadowcat attacked him as well, Nightcrawler bamfing in and out of the thick of it, Shadowcat phasing anyone in danger of being hit by his punches. Blink hurled her daggers; which Apocalypse avoided as much as possible. Her daggers more than anything else prevented Apocalypse from letting loose with another controlled reaction. They disrupted the fusion reaction, not allowing it to complete, in fact teleporting away certain molecules. Quicksilver alone was not attacking. He stood in shock over his father and his sisters bodies.

Finally Nate floated in the air above his parents, his eye glowing as brightly as before. He hurled psionic energy at Apocalypse, hurting him more than anyone else.

Apocalypse stood it as long as he could. But the combined toll had drained him completely. His armor began to fall apart, and below that his body began to shatter before the attacks.

"No, I will not die, so easily…" In desperation he set off multiple reactions all over his body. A final act that could crush them all.

But his protection from telepathy had faded away, and he was open to Emma and Psylocke. They knew what he planned, and they took steps. As he began the explosions, Blink teleported them all away from him, using multiple daggers, thrown faster than she had ever thrown before, and Nightcrawler bamfed the ones who could not reach Blinks portals before the explosions. Apocalypse stood in the middle of the room, and began to explode.

Nate levitated all the ones who were down, including the dead bodies of those who had fallen, and flew out of the Tower through the opening in the side.

The X-men hurried outside, through flying, or teleportation.

They had made it out when Apocalypse finally fell. The explosions, with no one to control them exploded with full power.

The entire Tower, once the testament of his strength was torn to nothing by the power of the explosion. The X-men, miles away already were sent reeling from the aftershock.

Scott finally managed to get the taste of sand out of his mouth, and the grains from out of his eyes.

He could still see color, but his head did not hurt anymore. He could feel the pressure building again. The sun was recharging him already. He would need another visor. Luckily, he always did have spares. Not now though. He had spares at Wundagore, and in the Hybrid.

He could still see for the moment though. He looked around. The others were standing, most of them, and they were looking at something off to the left. He turned to look and saw the massive miles high pillar of smoke. With an explosion so strong the Tower had to have been destroyed. But many of them had died. But at least Apocalypse and all his armies were gone, forever.

He turned to the left, and saw Jean lying on the ground, unconscious, yet serene. Nate crouched over her, his hand lying comfortingly on her shoulder, although he too stared at the smoke rising from where they had come from.

He stumbled over to them and knelt by Jean, stroking her face. It was done, it was over. Off to the side he could see Logan and Victor standing next to each other staring at the smoke, Clarice between them, leaning against Victor. A little behind them, Rogue and Pietro stood over the bodies of Magnus and Wanda. They were not looking at the smoke. Pietro hesitantly hugged Rogue, who collapsed against him, in tears. They had lost much. Too much. No one would have to lose again though. Scott swore that much to himself. If he could, he would make sure of it.

The sun was low in the sky. It had taken them the greater part of the day, but as the day ended, Scott knew that tomorrow would dawn a better day.

He stroked Jean's cheek again.

And that's the finale chapter done.

I'll upload the epilogue in a while yo.


	15. Epilogue: Before the Dawn

**Epilogue: Before the Dawn**

****

"I've picked up a signal!" Kitty's voice was excited as she ran into the room. She was waving a piece of paper excitedly, and her face was lit up with excitement. The room was not the largest on board the Hybrid, though one of the larger, and most of them had made it the unofficial meeting room for the X-men. Jean put her hand on her chin and leaned forward.

"What is it, Kitty?" Kitty sounded eager, and it had been quite a while since even Kitty had been happy. Not since the funerals, and the battle preceding them.

"I've found them Jean, the humans, Moira and everyone. I've finally found them." Kitty hugged the paper to herself.

With much of the worlds communications knocked out, they'd been forced to use more archaic channels, but once the climate of much of northern America had stabilized, they'd tried and succeeded in using radio waves. They'd managed to contact some cells of human and mutant survivors in North America, but nothing more than that. Africa was gone, as was much of Asia, but they'd held out hope on Europe and the Humans. Surely the Sea Walls hadn't gotten them all. But after two months, most of them had tired of it, and lost hope. They'd had their hands full with the survivors anyway.

Administration was something Jean was not very good at, although she could have been. Scott showed remarkable aptitude, though he was not very trusted. Most humans and mutant rebels feared him. The news of his rebellion against Apocalypse had apparently not been spread. Of course, even if it had been, people may not have believed it.

So most of the details had been dumped into Emma's and Warren's hands. Warren had thrown himself into the economic aspects of it, while Emma the bureaucracy. They made a good team. They had become the de facto 'head' of the X-men, although Rogue and Pietro were still officially the commanding members. However they had withdrawn, for the most part. Rogue had given herself to being a mother wholeheartedly. Too much so sometimes. But thankfully the worst of her grief was over.

Jean had been able to help her there. The loss of Erik on the heels of Remy's death had shaken her to the core. Almost driven her insane. Jean and Betsy working together had managed to draw her out of her shell. It had taken baby Charles to snap her out of it in the end, but Rogue had recovered.

Sometimes Jean wondered at her own strength of character and will. She wondered if she could ever deal with the loss of the most important things in her lives. If she lost Scott? Jean shuddered away from that thought, every time she thought of it.

But this? This renewed hope. And maybe took a weight off their shoulders.

"That's great news Kitty!" Jean half stood in her chair. It was. Kurt and Betsy, who were with her also, began clamoring for more information, surrounding Kitty.

Kurt had been the most unaffected it seemed. He had suffered little injury other than severe weakness. A result of using his powers too much at the end to help them escape, and retrieve all the bodies of the X-men. Kurt had bounced back quickly, and had helped in much of the early work, along with Kitty and Piotr.

Apparently the Humans had finally managed to retrieve a signal, or perhaps they had retrieved one earlier and had been wondering what to make of it. But they had finally answered. The High Council was alive. Maybe Moira was alive. Jean hoped so.

She also knew that things would not exactly be so rosy. Shutting down all of Apocalypse's infinite processing centers would take some time, and building back the shattered ties between humans and mutants would take even longer. Perhaps longer than they, the original X-men and high Council would live. But that was politics. The ones who were personally involved could never be the best negotiators, since bias would be ever-present.

But dealing with the High Council was Emma and Warren's headache. Jean was more focused on training. Cecilia Reyes and the coterie of captured mutants and humans had been found, and the liberated prisoners had to be inducted into society again. Even those from Avalon had to be brought back into the world, the new world.

They still trained every day, keeping alert in the case of any unknown threat, and to destroy the Infinite processing centers, some of which were still churning out Infinites. The Tower hadn't controlled everything by switch apparently.

Apocalypse was gone, as were most of his lieutenants. However there were always those who had managed to get away. And there was the problem of the Sea Walls as well. Although Scott had said that they had to have been shut down once the Tower was destroyed, since they only had two controls, once from the Tower, one from the main Sea Wall, destroyed in the battle against Sammael, the other Externals and Death.

As Emma and Warren entered the room, Warren using his crutches – his knee was permanently damaged unfortunately, despite all the de-tox tanks and Cecilia's skill, it had been too late to repair his knee – Jean used the distraction to leave the room. She walked the hallways of the Hybrid thinking about the missions to destroy the Processing centers. Logan and Scott had been the two elected to begin the operations and lead them. Thankfully Pietro had begun focusing his grief somewhere thanks to that. Jean had gone on one mission with him, and although his violence had shaken her a little, she realized it would gradually fade. She knew enough psychology - a gift from the Professor - to understand that Pietro wasn't sublimating, but rather using his grief to reinforce his determination. Jean would have been more worried if she didn't know that Pietro had in fact shown emotion, rather than blocking it away. He was an intensely private person, and his grief had been private as well.

Jean could feel Scott, although just enough to assure her he was alive. He had gone on another mission with Logan, Cain (it was difficult to think of the Juggernaut that way), Victor and Ororo. A team suited to destruction. Their attacks did not require subtlety. They were simple seek and destroy missions. With time Scott had taken charge of these battles. The others recognized his tactical ability and tended to follow his orders. It had done a lot to improve Scott's own morale. The endless suspicion from the ex-prisoners had been gnawing at his guilt.

Jean had prevented it as much as she could of course. In the time she wasn't with Nate.

Things had not exactly been easy there either. The boy was at the stage where he disliked too much physical affection, and he distrusted most people at the best of times. He had accepted Jean and Scott as parents, but perhaps not as people yet. Jeans constant need to be with him, and with him and Scott together had begun grating at the boy. Nate had started to avoid contact with her. Finally Scott had talked to him. Jean didn't know what they had talked about but Scott had firmly told her that Nate needed space. Nate was not avoiding her anymore. He still didn't talk much about his past, about how he had lived prior to finding them. Jean knew some things. That he had known Remy, that he had lived with a band of people for a few months, a band who had rebelled in their own way and been killed by Sinister. He had not revealed any details though. And Jean knew the details were important to him, important enough to have scarred him somehow. Jean hoped he would open up to her someday.

In the meantime she was content. She had a man, Scott, she had a child. She had her friends, and she had her family. And Apocalypse and his minions were gone. Over a year ago she only dreamt of such things. Some things about reality were similar to her dreams, some better, and some worse. But that was life, and she had learnt a long time ago not to let life get her down. But rather to live life as much as she could, to the fullest.

* * *

Rogue had heard the rumors. They had contacted the Humans. Emma and Warren had updated her. They always did. It reminded her of the days before the wars, before all the terror, destruction and fighting. When as a child she had read about the monarchies and governments of Europe and finding it all funny. The King and Queen were there, but the government ran things. The Prime Ministers and the other Ministers ran things and kept the King and Queen updated. Titular heads of state. She had found the idea ludicrous. But now here she was. Technically the leader of the X-men. But Emma and Warren ran things. The Ministers. She laughed.

Her laughter disturbed baby Charles, and she stopped rocking him for a few moments, patting his chest to the rhythm of his heartbeat till he was peaceful again.

He was all she had left, her eyes tearing as she looked at him. Once upon a time she had been torn between her love for two men, both scarred by their pasts, focused on a cause or goal that left little room for her. Two men, each of them fighting to be so much more than they were, striving to be better, to do more, not realizing that they were perfect as they were. Not perfect in an absolute sense, but perfect representations of their personalities. In some ways it had been their focus that drew her. Other things too, one had charm fit to seduce a snake, and the others personality was powerful enough to incite sloth's to activity.

But she had had to choose, and she chosen the one that had given her more, the one she promised to be with. The one….

She bowed her head over her son fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over.

She had lost too much. No one else had lost so much as her…

She shook her head fighting off the pity that threatened to overwhelm her. No, she was lucky in some ways. She had lost the two loves of her life, yes. But she still had her son, she still had her life. Apocalypse had destroyed everything some people had. Had destroyed entire continents. Defeating him… had been worth it.

Worth… she couldn't lie to herself. Worth it? Nothing was worth what had happened.

But she could deal with it. She had to. For her son.

However she was done with fighting. Pietro could fight. But she wouldn't. No. Her job was raising Charles. And she would be the best mother imaginable.

She stood up and went over to the small cubby in the corner that housed a small sink. Water was plentiful now. They had found plenty of resources that were still, surprisingly untouched. The world was scarred, but it had survived Apocalypse's foul rule. She washed her face, cupping the cool water to her face, cleansing away her tears.

As she raised her head, letting the water drip from her face, she opened her eyes to stare into the mirror.

Her heart suddenly stopped for an instant. Her breath caught. For a second she had sworn she could see two ethereal shapes behind her. Erik and Remy had stood behind her, smiling, their eyes peaceful and happy. As the water had cleared form her vision though there was no one. For a brief instant, so fleeting as to seem unreal, she could see them. And then they were gone.

Rogue began to breathe again, and she felt warmth spread through her.

Maybe it was a sign. A sign of better days to come. A sign of the future. Whatever it was, Rogue felt a little better. She still felt the grief lying heavily on her heart, but she would survive it. In the meantime, she would be a mother to her son, and a Queen to the X-men. A democratic Queen though, one who had her ministers.

* * *

They flew in quickly but silently. It was bright daylight, but it didn't matter. The Infinites could see as well at day or at night, so attacking anytime was equally dangerous. Not that the Infinites were what anyone would call very dangerous. Yes, they could be deadly if care wasn't taken, but the X-men could handle the Infinites with near ease. Not too easy though. Scott was glad for that. Too much ease would have led to carelessness. Which would lead to death.

He spoke softly, but he knew his words would be heard by all.

"Quicksilver, do a quick recon. 3 seconds, in and out. Locate the weak spots, let me and Storm know. Weapon X, Sabretooth, Juggernaut; you know what to do. As soon as Storm and I take out the security towers and the defensive wall is weakened, go in and begin. We'll handle cover form up here. Go."

At his words, Pietro was off; a slight rush of wind indicating that he had left. Scott counted down, and exactly 3 seconds later Pietro was back, an Infinites head in his hands.

"There are four positions that have little to no cover form the security towers, and two areas that have only defense form the towers. Oh wait… three." The last with a smirking look at the Infinite head in his hands, which he proceeded to toss aside.

"Good. Come on Storm" The pilot began turning the craft and they rose into the air, as Pietro, Logan, Victor and Cain remained on the ground, moving slowly into the positions Pietro had pointed out.

Scott raised his hand to his visor and counted down from 5 under his breath. They were at a good enough position by the time he was done counting to begin attacking.

His gauntlets were not so useful anymore. The left one only packed a punch if used to fight hand to hand, and the right one was slightly damaged and he could not release the blast from it. He could charge it up with the energy though, and use it to strike. It augmented his punches by a few dozen times. Not quite on par with Colossus or Juggernaut, but enough to punch a decent sized hole through a wall.

Not exactly useful long distance though.

He pressed a hand to the side of his visor and an optic blast tore through the air. This visor was not quite as useful as his usual one, but the only two he had which could be triggered mentally were with Kitty. She was using one to repair the other destroyed in the fight against Apocalypse. Till then he could make do with this one. It only reduced his efficiency by a little bit.

Ororo was right behind him, taking off through the air, and letting loose with lightning.

The Infinites never stood a chance.

Where Logan or Victor weren't hacking them to pieces, Cain was smashing them to pieces, or Pietro was using speed to destroy them. Lightning and optic blasts rained down on them from above. Within a few minutes most of them were destroyed.

Before half an hour had gone by they had taken down the plant completely, taking any materials that could be useful.

Attacking the Infinites was not a difficult task, but necessary. They had taken down many, but there were many left as well. But they could take them all down, Scott knew it. It would just take some time.

It was a short way to where the Hybrid was berthed. Near what had once been Niagara falls. Scott had seen some pictures of the place. Half of the great falls had been destroyed, the earth torn down. Now a small waterfall and a massive lake were all that was left of the once great wonder.

They docked by the Hybrid and Scott went looking for Jean. He could sense she wasn't inside the Hybrid, but somewhere, below him. He first went to their quarters. He shed his armor and gauntlets, and detached the tube from his visor. Another gift. Magneto had helped him with it, but he had not been able to finish work on it. Kitty had though, and with Cece's help she had managed to remove the tube until it was attachable and detachable. He shed his polymer-fiber outfit as well and pulled on darker coveralls. Clothes were still a rare commodity for the most part, and utilitarian outfits were what most of them wore.

He washed his face and put on the smaller visor by his bed. More like glasses, the visor was primarily a backup one, designed for quick wear if his larger more bulky visor was destroyed or damaged. Slipping them on he set off to look for Jean.

As he did he met most of the X-men and others.

Emma and Warren were huddled in a serious conversation. Scott was fairly certain there was more to their relationship than simple work now. They looked as he walked up to them.

"A successful mission, hmm?" Emma sounded sort of preoccupied, but interested in the details of the mission as well.

"For the most part, yes. We finished off the plant, and retrieved a lot of useful equipment. We didn't find anything to give us a location for other plants though." That had been extremely annoying. Scott had hoped the plants would give at least some clue to others, but so far none of them had.

"Well… that should have been expected. When do you plan to leave for the next one?" Warren was interested. He was no longer a fighter though, and there was some regret in his voice every time he talked about missions. He was far better at administration though.

"I just returned. I want to spend some time with Jean before I go again. The others can go if they want to. We've drilled enough maneuvers to handle most situations, with a few contingency plans as well. Ororo should be able to handle them easily. She has some potential as a commander." That was the honest enough truth. Scott hoped they were done, since he wanted to go meet Jean. Likely they wanted to talk about the Human High Council. Ever since communication had been established, they had been sending tentative messages back and forth. The Humans had survived the attack of the Sea Walls, but not by much. Many of them had been wiped out. The few survivors were naturally suspicious in the extreme. Scott hoped they worked things out. Moira Trask led the Humans, along with Brian Braddock. The two led the Humans well enough Scott supposed. He wanted no part in the talks anyway. He was not one of Moira's favorite people.

He moved as if to go on, and Emma and Warren made their goodbyes with him, and walked off as well, still talking.

Scott walked on, getting closer to Jean. He walked past Betsy and Kurt talking to Clarice. He smiled a hello at them, and they smiled back, but they were intent on Clarice, and he on Jean so they didn't stop to talk. Kurt and Betsy were hell bent on training Clarice. Victor didn't mind either, saying that he was too big to teach Clarice how to use her body to fight. Betsy and Kurt who were built on lines similar to Clarice could. Clarice still wasn't at ease with too many other X-men though.

Scott wondered if Kitty was done with his visor, then put it out of his mind. He had been badgering her constantly for the last week, until she had had Peter toss him out of her makeshift lab. The two had gotten much closer after the fight at the Sea Wall, and Scott wondered when they would announce their engagement. He was sure they wanted to marry. He had overheard Peter talking to Kurt about it. He wished them well. The two had deep feelings for one another. The small perky girl and the silent giant. They made a nice couple. He wondered if he and Jean made a nice couple.

He finally reached the lowest level of the Hybrid, where part of the hangar extended down in a ramp to the ground below. He could see the magnificent view of the lake and the waterfall. He could also see Nate standing at the top of the ramp.

He walked up to his son.

"She's down there, staring at the birds on the lake." Nate intoned quietly as Scott walked up to him. He was looking down at Jean, who sat on a large rock, staring out at the lake, her red hair blowing in the wind.

Scott smiled suddenly. A memory came to him, of another lake, long ago. He had been young then, and there had been birds on the lake. Were they swans? He couldn't remember. But he had met a redhead there, and redhead sitting by this lake. Was this full circle? He never believed in fate and destiny. Maybe this was just luck. But then, he had never believed in that either. Whatever it was, he was going to enjoy the moment.

"She and I met for the first time by a lake much like this." Scott began walking past Nate, when Nate spoke again, stopping him.

"I'd like to hear that some day. The story of you and Jean I mean. The story of my parents… heh, I suppose every kid wants to know at some time or another." Nate sounded and looked a little embarrassed as he finished, but also very serious. Scott felt warmth spread through him. These were the moments he lived for.

"Oh don't worry. We'll tell you. Soon. Why don't you come down?" He gestured towards Jean and the lake.

Nate shook his head.

"No… you go on. I'll join you in a while."

Scott shrugged and walked on down.

As he neared her, Jean turned and smiled at him, her face lit up and somehow peaceful.

"You remember. That was a beautiful day Scott. He spoiled it… but before then… beautiful. Just like you." She raised a hand to stroke his cheek as he sat by her.

Scott chuckled softly.

"Nate wants to know about us... how we met, how we got together. I suppose every kid wants to." He felt Jean smile in joy, and felt her presence inside his head light up with happiness. Her joy infected his, and rebounded till the two brimmed with happiness.

"I've seldom felt so content… Thank you Scott, for being alive. For loving me. I love you." She buried her head against his chest, her tears soaking the material of his clothes.

"I love you, now and forever." Her voice was muffled against his chest.

Scott wasn't exactly very demonstrative, but Jean always seemed to lessen his inhibitions. He held her closer and whispered into her hair.

"I love you too. Now and Forever." He held her closer.

The future was filled with hope. After years of darkness and despair, the dawn had finally shone through the clouds, and light was here.

* * *

And so I can say Finally, after 3 years.

fin


End file.
